Palestinians Celebrate in Occupied Areas
Palestinians in a handful of communities set off fireworks and began celebrations Monday in anticipation of the declaration of independence by the Palestine National Council, which came early today. Israeli soldiers moved quickly to quell the demonstrations.
Soldiers shot and killed a 21-year-old Palestinian and wounded at least six others during celebrations in the Gaza Strip that began Monday evening, Palestinian sources said. At least seven other Palestinians were wounded during earlier confrontations with the army, they added.
In Algiers, the Palestine National Council voted overwhelmingly to proclaim a Palestinian state in the occupied West Bank and Gaza and implicitly recognized Israel’s right to exist by accepting U.N. Security Council Resolution 242. The celebrations began before the council acted.
In Gaza’s Jabaliya refugee camp, Palestinians set off fireworks, waved outlawed Palestinian flags and flew balloons in their national colors of black, red, green and white, Palestinian sources said.
Soldiers moved quickly to stop the celebration, the sources said.
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