Palestinians have been marking the worst day in their history - the day of Israel's creation - determined to lift damaging economic sanctions and warning that Israeli unilateralism could kill a two-state solution.
The commemoration of the 58th anniversary of the "catastrophe" or Nakba in Arabic came as the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmud Abbas, was in Russia in an effort to shore up international financial and political support for his people.
"Our first priority is to lift the economic and political siege imposed on our people, then to end the occupation of our land once and for all, and to establish our independent Palestinian state," Abbas said in pre-recorded televised address.
The European Union and United States have cut direct aid to the Palestinian Authority since the Islamist movement Hamas formed a government in March.
Western powers want Hamas to recognise Israel's existence. Hamas says it will only do so if all Palestinian prisoners and seized territories are liberated and refugees allowed to return home.
...In Gaza City, several thousand protesters gathered outside the local branch of parliament with banners demanding the right of return, maps of historic Palestine, wooden keys to former homes, and flags.
"We will never abandon the right of return," they shouted, criticising Olmert's border project in the West Bank and standing around a refugee tent erected in protest outside parliament.
The fate of the original refugees and their descendants, who are scattered throughout the occupied territories, neighbouring Arab countries and other parts of the world, has been one of the thorniest issues of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Israel steadfastly opposes their right of return, aware that the demographics of the state could be overturned if all Palestinian refugees and their descendents move to modern-day Israel.
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