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Palestinians mark the 'Nakba'

May 15 2008

Palestinians mark the 'Nakba'

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Arab World

By Agencies

Bush is the first US president to address the Israeli Knesset [AFP]

Palestinians have held protests across the occupied territories to mark the 60th anniversary of the Nakba, or "catastrophe", when they were uprooted from their homes by the establishment of Israel.

In the West Bank on Thrusday, rallies and sirens commemorated the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians during the 1948 war.

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, speaking from Ramallah, called for an end to occupation and settlement building.

"It's is time for the occupation to leave our land ... and for the 'catastrophe' to come to an end," Abbas said in a televised speech on the occasion.

"Our Palestinian people have carried in pain the memory, and hope to return to their homeland."

Bush in Israel

George Bush, the US president, was also in the region to mark the anniversary of the creation of Israel and was due to address the Israeli Knesset later on Thursday. He will be the first US president to do so.

In remarks drafted for that address, the US president vowed America "stands with" Israel in its fight against "terror".

"America stands with you in breaking up terrorist networks and denying the extremists sanctuary," Bush is to say.

"Israel's population may be just over seven million. But when you confront terror and evil, you are 307 million strong, because America stands with you."

Bush's comments come a day after rockets fired from the Gaza Strip hit a medical clinic in an Israeli shopping mall in the city of Ashkelon, wounding 14 people.

Israeli officials said the Grad rocket that hit the coastal city was made in Iran.

Rocket attack

The Israeli government has been coming under increasing to oust Hamas from Gaza follwing a recent increase in rocket fire from Gaza.

The Israeli government has been coming under increasing to oust Hamas from Gaza follwing a recent increase in rocket fire from Gaza.

Following talks with Bush on Wednesday, Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, stressed that Israel would hold Hamas responsible for any attack and would "take the necessary steps so that this will stop".

Bush's visit to the region is also intended to advance US-backed talks between Israel and the Palestinians, but there have been few signs of progress in the negotiations since promises were made at a peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, in November.

The process has also recently been overshadowed by calls for Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, to resign over a police investigation into bribery allegations.

As part of his visit to Israel, Bush on Thursday toured the Roman-era desert fortress of Masada, a national symbol in Israel as many believe that during a rebellion in 70AD Jews besieged in the hilltop position chose to kill themselves rather than surrender to the Romans.