Palestinians Celebrate ‘Statehood’ : Middle East: Arabs mark first anniversary of proclaimed independence. Israeli soldiers curtail much of the festivities.

MAZRAA ASHARKIYA, Occupied West Bank —  Palestinians shot off fireworks and danced today to mark the first anniversary of the PLO’s declaration of a Palestinian state.

Soldiers curtailed many festivities by clamping widespread curfews on the disputed lands, and at least 13 Arabs were wounded by troops.

In Jerusalem, police fired tear gas to disperse a march by about 200 doctors, nurses and patients outside a hospital.

Soldiers ordered at least 350,000 Palestinians not to leave their homes in the occupied territories, but festivities were held in several towns and refugee camps in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in which youths shot off fireworks, danced in the streets and carried balloons painted with the colors of the Palestinian national flag.

Violent protests occurred in at least five towns where soldiers fired live ammunition and rubber bullets, injuring 13 people during stone-throwing demonstrations, Arab reports said. Police said they arrested seven stone-throwers in East Jerusalem.

Police dispersed the protest march by doctors and nurses from two hospitals in East Jerusalem after rocks were hurled at the troops from behind fences, a spokesman said. No injuries were reported.

Troops were under orders to respond firmly to any violence and were warned that uprising activists had received orders to increase the use of firearms following the fatal shooting Monday of a soldier in the Gaza Strip.

The day marks one year since the Palestine Liberation Organization’s parliament-in-exile proclaimed statehood in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which have been under Israeli military occupation since the 1967 Middle East War.

About 1.7 million Palestinians and 70,000 Israeli settlers live in the occupied territories. The Israeli government has ignored the PLO declaration and refused negotiations with the organization, which it calls terrorist.

Since the uprising against Israeli occupation began 23 months ago, 615 Palestinians and 41 Israelis have been killed.