Israeli soldiers have shot dead at least 12 people as Palestiniansmassed on the borders of Lebanon, Syria, the Gaza Strip and the WestBank to mark the 63rd anniversary of the creation of Israel.

Palestinianscall it the "Nakba", or catastrophe - the anniversary of the day Israelbecame a state and hundreds of thousands of Arabs fled or were forcedout.

In Israel and the occupied territories, thousands of people joined protests which turned into clashes with police.

OnIsrael's tense southern border with the Gaza Strip, Israeli gunfirewounded 82 demonstrators approaching the fence with the HamasIslamist-run enclave, medical workers said.

In a separateincident, Israeli forces said they shot a man who was trying to plant abomb near the border. A body was later found.

In Tel Aviv,Israel's commercial hub, a truck driven by an Arab Israeli slammed intovehicles and pedestrians, killing one man and injuring 17 people.

Policewere trying to determine whether the incident was an accident or anattack. Witnesses said the driver, who was arrested, deliberately ranamok with his truck in traffic.

The worst violence was on theborders with Lebanon and with Syria, where Palestinian refugees triedto breach the fence into Israel.

The Lebanese army on theLebanese frontier said 10 Palestinians died when Israeli forces shot atrock-throwing protesters to prevent them from entering the Jewish state.

Lebanesesecurity sources said more than 100 people had been wounded in theshooting in the Lebanese border village of Maroun al-Ras.

TheIsrael army said the Lebanese army had also used live ammunition in anattempt to hold back the crowds rushing the border fence.

Thousands also entered the Golan Heights, which Israel annexed from Syria in 1967, but most were arrested or turned back.

Israelimilitary spokeswoman Lieutenant Colonel Avital Leibovich has accusedSyria of orchestrating the incursion in the Golan Heights.

"TheSyrian regime is intentionally attempting to divert the world'sattention away from their brutal crackdown on their own civilians tothe incitement on Israel's northern border.

Syrian media reportssaid Israeli gunfire killed two people after dozens of Palestinianrefugees infiltrated the Golan Heights from Syria along a frontlinethat has been largely tranquil for decades.

The Syrian foreign ministry condemned what it called Israel's "criminal activities".

Ina separate incident on the border with Jordan, Jordanian police firedteargas to disperse hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists who gatheredat a village near Israeli territory.

"The police pushed us outof the protest area and after using teargas started to chase us withbatons," one said from Karama village.

'Arab revolt' inspiration

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped the confrontations would not escalate.

"I've instructed the army to behave with maximum restraint," he said.

"Wehope the calm and quiet will quickly return. But let nobody be misled,we are determined to defend our borders and sovereignty."

One man, Ahmad Abu Arab, says protesters have taken courage from the recent uprisings across the Middle East.

"For63 years we've been under occupation," he said. "Everywhere else in theworld people are finding their freedom, but not the Palestinians."

Palestinianpresident Mahmoud Abbas said in a televised address to mark theanniversary that those killed were martyrs to the Palestinian cause.

"Their precious blood will not be wasted. It was spilt for the sake of our nation's freedom," he said.

Aspokesman for Islamist Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, Sami AbuZuhri, called it "a turning point in the Israeli-Arab conflict" thatproved the Palestinian people and Arabs were committed to endingIsraeli occupation.

Hezbollah condemned the "Israeli aggressionon unarmed civilians in Maroun al-Ras and in the Golan, whichconstitutes a dangerous violation of human rights".

"Theresistance movement in Lebanon will continue to be an advocate ofPalestinian national rights and calls on everyone to stand united inconfronting Israeli occupation," said Hezbollah spokesman HassanFadlallah at a pro-Palestinian protest in Maroun al-Ras.

"Whathappened today in Maroun al-Ras and in the Golan is an embodiment ofthe will of the Palestinian people, who are committed to the right ofreturn.