Israel organised celebrations Monday to mark the 56th anniversary of its creation amid tight security, as the intifada cost the life of another teenage Palestinian stone-thrower in the Gaza Strip.
The 14-year-old was shot dead by Israeli soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahiya, said Palestinian medical sources.
Military sources said troops had opened fire with "non-lethal ammunition" on a group of dozens of Palestinians throwing stones on an army position guarding a Jewish settlement.
On Sunday night, an Israeli border guard was also killed and two others wounded in a drive-by attack by Palestinian gunmen, minutes after sirens rang across the country to commemorate the Jewish state's fallen soldiers, military sources said.
The shooting took place near the southern West Bank city of Hebron and was claimed by an anonymous caller saying he was from the Abdelaziz Rantissi unit of Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, an offshoot of the mainstream Fatah party.
In an another address on Monday, Sharon promised to work for a peaceful settlement to the conflict but reiterated his warnings to "Israel's enemies".
The premier was speaking on Remembrance Day, which is traditionally marked a day ahead of the anniversary of the creation of the Jewish state, which Israelis celebrate as "Independence Day".

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2004

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