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Abbas: It's time to end the Nakba of the Palestinian people
By News Agencies
Tags: George W. Bush, Nakba 

Palestinians on Thursday marked the 60th anniversary of their displacement, which they call Nakba, or catastrophe.

At a rally in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for an end to the occupation, saying: "There are two peoples living on this beloved land - one celebrates independence and the other feels pain of the memory of its Nakba... It's time to end the Nakba of the Palestinian people."

The commemoration of the Nakba is an annual ritual of mourning that turned even darker this year because of crippling internal divisions, diminishing independence hopes and the stark contrast to Israel's all-out birthday bash.
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Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces on Thursday fired live rounds and tear gas to disperse dozens of Palestinian stonethrowers in a confrontation that erupted during a rally on the Gaza border.

There were no immediate reports of injuries at the border clashes. The protesters broke away from supporters at the Hamas rally, then approached the Erez crossing between Israel and Gaza.

Gaza has been almost completely sealed since last June's violent Hamas
takeover of the territory.

Hamas staged a protest against the closure about two kilometers from the Erez crossing. After the march, dozens of teenagers and children moved closer to Israeli positions on the border and threw stones. IDF soldiers fired live rounds and tear gas.

In Ramallah, the seat of Abbas's Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, pedestrians stood at attention for two minutes to remember the 700,000 Palestinians who fled or were forced to leave their homes in the fighting around Israel's creation in 1948.

Across the West Bank, rallies, sirens and the launch of thousands of black balloons were to commemorate the uprooting of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians during the 1948 war over Israel's creation.

Underscoring the political divisions, Gaza's Islamic militant Hamas rulers planned separate events, including a march toward a sealed Israeli border crossing.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces on Thursday reinforced its presence in the northern Gaza Strip out of fear that the Hamas rally marking the Nakba would get out of control.

This year's commemorations of what the Palestinians call their Nakba, or
"catastrophe," comes at a time when hopes for a peace deal with Israel are increasingly dim.

Several months of negotiations have produced no tangible results, an Israeli prime minister weakened by a widening corruption probe is seen as unlikely to take daring political steps, and support for U.S.-backed Palestinian leaders seeking a peace deal is plummeting.

The Palestinian economy remains stagnant, despite a massive injection of foreign aid, in part because of Israel's reluctance to ease its restrictions on movement and trade.

Meanwhile, the separation of Hamas-run Gaza and the West Bank led by
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is deepening. The rivals are not on
speaking terms, and the two territories that were to make up the future state are cut off from one another by Israeli travel bans.

"The level of hopelessness is very strong," said Palestinian pollster Jamil Rabih, adding that a recent survey indicates that half the Palestinians don't expect to see a state established within the next 25 years.

"There is nothing on the horizon for us," he added.

The gloomy mood has been compounded by Israeli independence day parties. Last week, Israel celebrated the Hebrew calendar anniversary of its May 14, 1948 founding with fireworks, picnics and air force flyovers.

A second round of celebrations followed this week, with the participation of U.S. President George W. Bush.

On Thursday, Bush was to address Israel's parliament. On Wednesday, Bush
praised Israel as "our strongest ally and friend in the Middle East."

Most Palestinians viewed the Bush visit with indifference, according to a poll published Wednesday by the Arab World For Research & Development, an
independent think tank. Eighty percent of 1,200 respondents said they don't believe the U.S. president is serious about pushing for a Palestinian state.

Related articles:
  • Bush: We must be firm in face of those who murder the innocent
  • Sixty years of Nakba, 60 years of nothing
  • Palestinian refugees, Israeli left-wingers mark Nakba
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      1.   If they`ve only worked they would have 11:53  |  Hans 15/05/08
      2.   Israel`s Nakba 12:21  |  Kenny 15/05/08
      3.   #Hans 12:53  |  Andi 15/05/08
      4.   No wonder 12:54  |  ChanahS 15/05/08
      5.   Hans off 13:15  |  Jacob L 15/05/08
      6.   Jacob L - you have it backward 13:50  |  ChanahS 15/05/08
      7.   What land does Abbas consider occupied? 13:53  |  redmike 15/05/08
      8.   Jacob L..Jacob`s Ladder..ups and downs 13:55  |  Meir Gush Etzion 15/05/08
      9.   Oslo and Madrid, a drug with bad side affects.... 14:01  |  r 15/05/08
      10.   #5..to Jacob.L 14:02  |  Hans 15/05/08
      11.   Always the same goal, the destruction of Israël 14:03  |  maurice 15/05/08
      12.   #5 - sadly you don`t understand or want to see the reality .. 14:08  |  redmike 15/05/08
      13.   to # 3 Andy 14:18  |  Daniel 15/05/08
      14.   Time for a ONE State 14:43  |  El-Birawi 15/05/08
      15.   #5 Jacob L. Manchester 14:47  |  * BEN JABO 15/05/08
      16.   Pals want state but don`t want Jews to have one 14:59  |  Sam 15/05/08
      17.   Abbas, you`re the biggest Nakba of all, tfu 3lek!! 15:04  |  Palestinian in UK 15/05/08
      18.   # daniel....choice? 15:14  |  Swede 15/05/08
      19.   Thieves 15:20  |  Said 15/05/08
      20.   "time to end Nakba" 15:32  |  I.Kemp 15/05/08
      21.   The Nakba Could End Tomorrow 15:46  |  JordanisPalestine 15/05/08
      22.   A rational solution. 15:47  |  Jean Van Daem 15/05/08
      23.   Abbas must be replaced by Hamas 15:48  |  Harold 15/05/08
      24.   Pals will never have their own state, and they are to blame 16:06  |  Richard S 15/05/08
      25.   It`s time they resettled elsewhere as most of them wish. 16:09  |  Chaim 15/05/08
      26.   Hamas children, in the frontline 16:10  |  KUTW 15/05/08
      27.   To El Birawi - one state = one big joke 16:12  |  Melquiades 15/05/08
      28.   pals standing at attention 16:13  |  Red Feather 15/05/08
      29.   Stagnation of pal economy, as usual 16:16  |  Bellatrix 15/05/08
      30.   Palestinian in U.K. 16:20  |  utagawa 15/05/08
      31.   Its a lot more than Israel vs the Palestinians 16:20  |  Sam C 15/05/08
      32.   Child soldiers 16:35  |  KUTW 15/05/08
      33.   10th yr anniversary mutates to 60 16:36  |  peter 15/05/08
      34.   Which occupation, "moderate" Abbas? 16:38  |  Bellatrix 15/05/08
      35.   Abbas and Hamas not in speaking terms (?) 16:40  |  KUTW 15/05/08
      36.   Abbas` approval rating lower than Bush 16:41  |  Harold 15/05/08
      37.   In their own hands 16:44  |  Walter 15/05/08
      38.   Refugee camps in Gaza 16:45  |  Eylo 15/05/08
      39.   Is that so?! 16:48  |  Stranger 15/05/08
      40.   A solution, Palestinian provinces 16:49  |  Melquiades 15/05/08
      41.   # 5 Jacob L....before the second intifada there was 16:49  |  Lynn 15/05/08
      42.   Dream On 16:51  |  Mary 15/05/08
      43.   utakhara the racist (30) 16:51  |  Palestinian in UK 15/05/08
      44.   #14 El Birawi 16:55  |  Boris 15/05/08
      45.   El Birawi, one state 16:59  |  Haim 15/05/08
      46.   Advice to the pals 17:11  |  Eylo 15/05/08
      47.   Yes, Abbas, make some compromises and your "catastrophe" will end 17:18  |  McQueen 15/05/08
      48.   Why the P.U.K. 17:22  |  utagawa 15/05/08
      49.   #43 Pal UK 17:31  |  MArc 15/05/08
      50.   Transfer and expulsion is a Judea-Christian value 17:55  |  El-Birawi 15/05/08
      51.   Pal that fled 18:06  |  massein 15/05/08
      52.   El-Birwani: the Pal ethnic cleansing lie 18:21  |  Richard S 15/05/08
      53.   El-Birawi 18:22  |  Marc 15/05/08
      54.   Pal response to 2 state solution is "Jews are thieves" 18:23  |  Sam 15/05/08
      55.   Right Abu Mazen, move back to Hejaz to end your 1400 yr Nakba 18:28  |  Genuine Tosefta 15/05/08
      56.   It is time for ONE STATE solutions 18:32  |  Genuine Tosefta 15/05/08
      57.   It`s time for the people who call themselves Palestinian to admit 18:38  |  Aba 15/05/08
      58.   Marc (49): The solution is simple 18:44  |  Palestinian in UK 15/05/08
      59.   Israels Nakba 18:51  |  Meyer 15/05/08
      60.   Does anyone know what the word Nakba really means in Arabic? 18:57  |  Genuine Tosefta 15/05/08
      61.   Arrogance which needs a kick where it hurts 19:00  |  Keith T. 15/05/08
      62.   Pal UK # 58 19:05  |  Marc 15/05/08
      63.   Comment to PUK`s demands 19:06  |  utagawa 15/05/08
      64.   harold #23,#36 19:12  |  Zolman ben Moshe 15/05/08
      65.   This is an interesting conversation 19:20  |  Dave Duncan 15/05/08
      66.   Time horizon - 19:36  |  Joshua 15/05/08
      67.   The origin of the modern use of the term "Nakba" (1) 19:41  |  Genuine Tosefta 15/05/08
      68.   The origin of the modern use of the term "Nakba" (2) 19:45  |  Genuine Tosefta 15/05/08
      69.   The origin of the modern use of the term "Nakba" (3) 19:46  |  Genuine Tosefta 15/05/08
      70.   The origin of the modern use of the term "Nakba" (4) 19:49  |  Genuine Tosefta 15/05/08
      71.   The origin of the modern use of the term "Nakba" (5) 19:51  |  Genuine Tosefta 15/05/08
      72.   EL-BIRAWI # 50. 19:56  |  David Nigel Braham 15/05/08
      73.   THEY CALL IT NAKBA.I CALL IT... 19:57  |  Ian 15/05/08
      74.   DENIAL OF JEWSIH RIGHT TO ISRAEL IS BLASPHEMY ACCORDING TO QUR`AN 20:14  |  Arab for Real Peace 15/05/08
      75.   Nakba 20:40  |  Bajou 15/05/08
      76.   #58 Palestinian in UK 20:51  |  Deborah 15/05/08
      77.   I think it should all revert back to Palestine..... 20:56  |  Deborah 15/05/08
      78.   here`s a tip 21:06  |  ilan 15/05/08
      79.   1948 War, displaced thousands of Palestinians and Jews from Arab 21:08  |  Smadar 15/05/08
      80.   Deborah 21:21  |  Marc 15/05/08
      81.   76. Deborah: the other way round 21:29  |  Eylo 15/05/08
      82.   77. Deborah: the squatters 21:32  |  Eylo 15/05/08
      83.   #75. BAJOU 21:38  |  Ian 15/05/08
      84.   Chaim - pardon me? 21:49  |  Palestinian Brit 15/05/08
      85.   Why Palestinian Brit or in UK spat on Abbas 22:31  |  Palestinian in EU 15/05/08
      86.   Several months of negotiations have produced no tangible results 22:33  |  Joseph . E 15/05/08
      87.   # 17 Palestinian in UK - what should be done? You would do? 22:36  |  17 15/05/08
      88.   Also Bayou, Jews in Jerusalem or 22:41  |  Realist 15/05/08
      89.   to El-Khirwai why one state solution? u like Kosher food don`t ya 22:41  |  Palestinian in EU 15/05/08
      90.   75. Bajou: Jewish Nabka 22:50  |  KUTW 15/05/08
      91.   Genuine Tosefta: very good info on Nabka (end) 22:52  |  Eylo 15/05/08
      92.   It is time to finaly deliver a real Nakba to philistines... 22:54  |  misha 15/05/08
      93.   Abbas: Dissolve the PA and leave with your gangs 23:09  |  BIG 15/05/08
      94.   i think it`s time the pals recognized that the refugee problem - 23:13  |  ivo 15/05/08
      95.   What naqba are we talking about? 23:26  |  TonyL 15/05/08
      96.   #37 Walter 23:37  |  Boycott 15/05/08
      97.   Palestinian in UK is no better than Abbas 23:45  |  Raed Kami 15/05/08
      98.   Genuine Tosefta " You may now understand Israelis-Arabs 00:31  |  Joseph . E 16/05/08
      99.   (85) Palestinian in EU/ (95) Raed Kami 00:47  |  Palestinian in UK 16/05/08
      100.   Conspiracy theory regarding Slowman 00:50  |  Agence Abbas 16/05/08
      101.   pal uk 01:14  |  yeastbite 16/05/08
      102.   Palestinian Brit 01:41  |  TonyL 16/05/08
      103.   #84 Brit. You`re kidding yourself about "Palestinians" staying 01:43  |  Chaim 16/05/08
      104.   an Arab`s view 01:45  |  AD 16/05/08
      105.   Give them the casinos 01:53  |  Buffalo Bill 16/05/08
      106.   Abbs and "the beloved land" 02:01  |  Connie 16/05/08
      107.   Abbas 02:14  |  J.B.W. 16/05/08
      108.   #58 palestinian in UK - you hypocrate 02:24  |  Adrian de Klerk 16/05/08
      109.   Palestinians must surrender 02:30  |  David 16/05/08
      110.   Keith T. 61 02:56  |  ChanahS 16/05/08
      111.   Keith T. 61 02:56  |  ChanahS 16/05/08
      112.   Deborah 76 03:09  |  ChanahS 16/05/08
      113.   #67 - #71 G Tosefta....Thanks for the history lesson 04:00  |  Lynn 16/05/08
      114.   # 50 El-Birawi.....Just think about 04:09  |  Lynn 16/05/08
      115.   There is nothing on the horizon for us," he added, Oh Well. 04:10  |  Doc Holliday 16/05/08
      116.   # 98 Chaim.....if that is what they would like 04:32  |  Lynn 16/05/08
      117.   The Nakba is the continuing failure of Palestinian leadership, 1 05:01  |  David Turner 16/05/08
      118.   The Nakba is the continuing failure of Palestinian leadership, 1 05:02  |  David Turner 16/05/08
      119.   The Nakba is the continuing failure of Palestinian leadership, 3 05:03  |  David Turner 16/05/08
      120.   So far all Arabs & Antisemites agree on the meaning of Nakba #60 05:49  |  Genuine Tosefta 16/05/08
      121.   #74, Arab for real peace, An eye-opener not just for Muslims, but 06:07  |  David Turner 16/05/08
      122.   abbas should be holding a seance with arafat 06:14  |  v ictor hardman 16/05/08
      123.   So far all Arabs & Antisemites agree on the meaning of Nakba #60 06:16  |  Genuine Tosefta 16/05/08
      124.   Arab for real peace; Cairo 07:36  |  Nechama 16/05/08
      125.   El Birawi told us what they want: they want Israel 09:55  |  x-ray 16/05/08
      126.   This El Birawi is `somewhere` in the USA 09:58  |  x-ray 16/05/08
      127.   Pal in UK the loser doesn`t make the terms 10:00  |  x-ray 16/05/08
      128.   AD if you want to be miserable tfadal 10:09  |  x-ray 16/05/08
      129.   Palestinians are the Nakba 12:06  |  Baruch Gold 16/05/08
      130.   more for ChanahS 18:56  |  flabbergasted 19/05/08
      131.   Palestinian Nakba 19:07  |  SB 29/06/08
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