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Ramallah: Palestinians marked the 60th anniversary of their uprooting with rallies, sirens and black flags on Thursday in an annual ritual that turned even darker this year because of crippling internal divisions, diminishing hopes for independence and the stark contrast to Israel's all-out birthday bash.
The memorial coincided with a high-profile visit to Israel by President Bush as part of Israel's 60th independence day celebration.
Bush's embrace of Israel at a time when the Palestinians were mourning was bound to further harm the tainted US image in the Palestinian areas and across the Arab world.
Thursday's events commemorated the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians during the 1948 war over Israel's creation, or Al Nakba, Arabic for catastrophe.
The anniversary underscored the Palestinians' internal division. For almost a year now, the Islamic militant group Hamas has ruled Gaza, while the West Bank is run by moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Hamas supporters stayed away from West Bank marches, while Hamas police in Gaza prevented rallies by their political rivals, including Abbas' Fatah movement.
In the West Bank city of Ramallah, thousands gathered in downtown Manara Square, stood in silence as a siren wailed, then listened to a taped Abbas speech. Some carried black flags.
In Gaza, Hamas planned separate events, including a march toward a sealed Israeli border crossing. Israel's military sent reinforcements to the border and warned that those trying to break through the border fence were risking their lives.
This year's commemorations come at a time when hopes for a peace deal with Israel are increasingly dim.
Abbas has pledged to push ahead with the talks. In his taped speech, he warned Israel that it must not waste a peace opportunity with its continued expansion of settlements on lands the Palestinians seek for their state.
"On this beloved land, there are two peoples, one that celebrates its independence and one that suffers its Nakba," he said.
Meanwhile, the separation of Hamas-run Gaza and the Abbas-ruled West Bank 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. "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 Bush.
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