GAZA/RAMALLAH, Palestine -- Thousands of Palestinians marked on Wednesday the 46th anniversary of Palestinian Land Day in the cities of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.
Local Palestinian media outlets reported that the Palestinians commemorate the Land Day anniversary through rallies, demonstrations, general strikes, and a series of events and activities such as planting olive trees near the borders with Israel.
The events of Land Day go back to March 30, 1976, when the Palestinians in Israel protested against the Israeli seizure of about 21,000 dunams (2,100 hectares) of Palestinian villages' lands in the Galilee region in northern Israel.
The 1976 protests took place in the villages of Arraba, Sakhnin, Deir Hanna, Arab al-Sawa'id and others. The lands in these villages were confiscated for establishing more settlements.
In Gaza, masses of participants were scheduled to mark the anniversary on the border between eastern Gaza and Israel. However, the rally's organizers decided to hold it at the fishermen's harbor in the western part of Gaza city.
Thousands from all over the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave arrived at the harbor in western Gaza city, waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans supporting the legitimate Palestinian cause.
In their addresses to the participants, speakers of the Palestinian factions stressed the need for ending the internal division and restoring unity to confront Israel and end its occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Four years ago, tens of thousands of Palestinians participated in a massive rally on the border between the eastern Gaza and Israel and launched the Marches of Return and Breaking the Israeli Siege.
The marches were organized every week and had left more than 300 Palestinians killed and thousands injured.
On the anniversary of Land Day, the Hamas movement, ruler of the Gaza Strip, said in a statement that it is committed to the liberation of the historical land of Palestine from its sea to its river.
"Hamas is committed to legitimate right to defend the land and holy sites, respond to the Israeli aggression, protect the Palestinian people, and continue the comprehensive resistance as a strategic choice to deter Israel and extract full national rights," it said.
The Islamic movement called on the Arab and Islamic nations and states to protect the Palestinian refugees and provide them with a decent life "because they reject the alternative homeland and look forward to returning to their homes in historic Palestine."
In the West Bank, activities of planting olive trees and plastic art exhibitions under the title "Identity and Land" were organized in several cities and villages.
The official Palestinian Radio and Television Corporation gave live broadcasts of the anniversary's events.
The organizers of the events confirmed that it is a message of the Palestinian people's commitment to their land and their refusal to give it up under any pressure or intimidation by settler groups under the protection of the Israeli army.
The anniversary comes in the light of the acceleration of settlement expansion, land seizure, and demolition of Palestinian homes in the West Bank and Jerusalem, which makes the two-state solution impossible, according to Palestinian officials.