Palestinians mark 'Day of Catastrophe'; 5 dead in clashes

Palestinians hold up victory signs on Tuesday as sirens wail in protest of the creation of Israel

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- On the anniversary of the creation of Israel, Israeli-Palestinian fighting Tuesday in the West Bank and Gaza left one Israeli settler and four Palestinians dead, officials said.

The creation of the state of Israel was declared on this day 53 years ago in 1948.

Four Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli troops Tuesday, Palestinian hospital officials said. An Israeli settler was killed on the West Bank when her car was hit by gunfire, the Israeli army said. Palestinian hospital officials said at least 106 people in the West Bank and Gaza had been injured.

In a speech broadcast on Palestinian television, Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat called on the world to end what he termed Israeli military aggression.

Arafat was not in Gaza while his taped speech was played on Palestinian television. He was in Egypt meeting with President Hosni Mubarak.

"It is time for world conscience to wake up," Arafat implored. "It is time for the international legitimacy to say to aggressors, 'Enough military escalation, enough killing and destruction against the Palestinian people' -- who will not be defeated no matter how harsh the aggressors use their destructive arms to kill our people."

AUDIO CNN's Jerrold Kessel: Israeli army is on the offensive 472K/43 sec. AIFF or WAV sound    VIDEO Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres spoke with CNN after Arafat's speech (May 15) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Watch Arafat's speech on the 'day of catastrophe' (part 1) (May 15) Play video (Part 1) Play video (Part 2) Play video (Part 3) (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     GALLERY Palestinians mark Al-Naqba

Appearing on CNN, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres called for the resumption of Israel-Palestinian negotiations and blamed the continued fighting on the Palestinians. He accused Palestinians of initiating clashes and said it was up to Arafat to stop the violence.

"We say the Palestinians shouldn't initiate so we shall not have to react. I assure you, there won't be a single act of reaction if the violence will stop. And again I say, it achieves nothing."

In his speech, Arafat said the violence could end but added it was up to Israel.

"I announce that the road to peace is clear: the full Israeli withdrawal from all Palestinian and Arab territories."

Palestinians refer to the anniversary of the formation of Israel and the flight of Palestinian refugees as Al-Naqba, which is translated as "The Day of Catastrophe."

Israel, which uses the Jewish calendar for national and religious observances, marked the anniversary earlier this year on April 26.

This latest round of Israeli-Palestinian violence erupted in September. During eight months of clashes, more than 500 people, most of them Palestinians, have died.

CNN Correspondent Sheila MacVicar reported from the West Bank town of Ramallah that hundreds of demonstrators had marched on an Israeli checkpoint, that shots had been fired, and that dozens of ambulances were ferrying the injured from the scene.

Israeli security forces were on high alert Tuesday amid reports that Palestinians would try to carry out attacks inside Israel to mark "Al-Naqba"

Additional clashes have been reported in other parts of Gaza as tens of thousands of Palestinians gathered for rallies across the West Bank and Gaza and chanted, "No surrender, no surrender."

Israeli troops were reinforced at potential flashpoints in and around Jerusalem and near Palestinian areas in case demonstrations spilled out into further violence.

At least one Palestinian man died earlier Tuesday in northeastern Gaza in an exchange with the Israeli army. Officials of the Islamic fundamentalist group Hamas identified him as Abdel Hakim Al-Manaema, a bodyguard of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.

Palestinian sources said members of Hamas were firing mortars from the location. An Israeli army spokesman said its forces responded with tank shells and were successful in ending the attack.

In a separate incident, a 17-year-old Palestinian was killed during clashes with Israeli soldiers near the Erez checkpoint between Israel and Gaza, Palestinian hospital sources said.

In Ramallah, two Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israelis at another checkpoint, according to hospital officials.

In East Ramallah, an Israeli car was fired on, the Israeli army said. An Israeli settler was killed and another was injured.

CNN Correspondent Jerrold Kessel contributed to this report.

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