Published today (updated) 15/05/2011 19:13 EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma'an) --

At least 80 Egyptian political activists arrived at Egypt's Rafah crossing to commemorate the 63rd Nakba Day, after eluding that country's security services.

The activists carried Palestinian flags and changed slogans demanding and end to Israel's siege on Gaza, the recognition of the right of Palestinians displaced in 1948 to return to their homes, and condemned Israel's occupation of Palestine.

The day before, Egyptian authorities blocked access to the Sinai peninsula to prevent the march of protesters from Cairo to Gaza, as thousands gathered at the Israeli embassy in Cairo, AFP correspondents said.

The march was due to leave from Cairo's Tahrir Square on Saturday to protest the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, and call for the right of return of Palestinian refugees and the release of all Palestinian prisoners.

An estimated 60,000 Palestinians live in Egypt, many of them refugees.

Thousands participate in march of return near Rafah terminal

[ 15/05/2011 - 02:32 PM ]

RAFAH, (PIC)-- 

Thousands of Palestinians took part in the march of return south of the Gaza Strip and headed to the border terminal of Rafah to commemorate the Nakba.

Participants chanted national slogans and called for freedom and return of refugees to their original hometowns.

Sheikh Nafedh Azzam, an Islamic Jihad leader, delivered a speech on behalf of the national and Islamic factions describing settlement projects annuling the right of return as null and void.

He said that the national reconciliation gave strength to the Palestinian people in their confrontation with the Israeli occupation that exploited the past years of division to boost its settlement drive and to annex more land after expelling its rightful owners.