GAZA CITY, Sept 28: A teenage Palestinian demonstrator was killed in clashes with the Israeli army on Saturday as thousands took to the streets to mark the second anniversary of the intifada against Israeli occupation.

Israeli Arabs also demonstrated inside the Jewish state and peace activists were due to lead rallies in major cities, as the Israeli services went on high alert for fear of anniversary attacks by Palestinian groups.

Mohammad Abu Ajwa, 17, was killed when a group of Palestinian youths, who had just attended a commemorative demonstration in the Gaza Strip town of Deir el-Balah, clashed with Israeli soldiers manning a position near the adjacent Jewish settlement of Netzarim, Palestinian security sources said.

His funeral in the refugee camp of Al-Bureij was attended by 1,000 people.

Three more Palestinians were wounded in the same incident, while similar clashes left seven youths hurt near Beit Lahia and three in Khan Yunis following a 3,000-strong demonstration, official Palestinian sources said.

The violence marred the celebrations in the Gaza Strip, where the biggest event was a 20,000-strong march through Gaza City, during which besieged Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat addressed the crowd by phone from his battle-scarred Ramallah office.

“We want to defend our holy places, both Christian and Muslim, to defend Jerusalem and every centimetre of our land. Our resolution will continue and we will be the winner, the victory will be ours,” Arafat told the crowd.

Among the sea of Palestinian flags held aloft by demonstrators could also be seen many keffiyahs — Arafat’s trademark Palestinian headdress — as people chanted: “We will support our president from siege to siege.”

In the Deheishe refugee camp, school children released 100 balloons with portraits of Arafat attached to them, in a symbolic gesture of solidarity with their 73-year-old leader, who was spending his ninth day cooped up with some 250 other people.—AFP