Damascus  - A group of Palestinian and Syrian volunteers completed a 27,900 meter square Palestinian flag Friday in an effort to enter Guinness World Records.

The flag, which is proportional to the square kilometres of Palestine, was shown in a square in al-Zahera district near Damascus. The idea for the flag was initiated by Palestinian activists in the West Bank.

"The completion of this project is a symbolic message to the solidarity of all Palestinians," said Tareq Hamouda head of WAJEB (The Palestinian Group for Return).

"The flag reasserts the Palestinians right to return to their homeland," he added.

This year, Palestinians mark 60 years after the Naqba (Day of Tragedy), when Israel was founded in 1948.

Jewish leaders in Palestine proclaimed the State of Israel on May 14, 1948, one day before the formal end of the British mandate. Six Arab armies invaded the nascent state on May 15, sparking the first Arab-Israeli war.

The war ended in 1949, with Israel controlling 50 per cent more territory than had been allocated to it by the United Nations, and Palestinians stayed under Jordanian control in the West Bank and Egyptian control in the Gaza Strip.

At least 726,000 Palestinians became refugees, having fled from their homes or having been evicted by Jewish forces. (dpa)