Ramallah  - Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip took to the streets Thursday with rallies, marches and a two-minute siren at noon to mark 60 years since creation of Israel and the subsequent dispersion of hundreds of thousands of refugees.

The central event of the Naqba (Catastrophe) commemorations took place in Ramallah, where, in a pre-recorded speech, President Mahmoud Abbas told a jam-packed central square that Palestinians were marking the event not to feel sorry for themselves, but to remind the world of their long struggle.

The security of Israel, he said in his speech, which was also first broadcast over Palestinian television, was linked to Palestinian independence and Palestinian security.

The continuation of the Israeli occupation, and the prolonging of the Naqba, would not bring security to anyone. Only the end of the occupation would bring security, he continued.

The speech was preceded by a two-minute siren broadcast over Palestinian radio and people stood at silent attention to mark the occasion.

Some of those in the square carried black flags, and others wore black T-shirts with the legend "1948," with the number "8" in red and the "194," a reference to UN Resolution 194 calling for the return of the Palestinian refugees, in white.

A total of 20,000 black balloons - one for each day which has passed since Israel was created - were scheduled to be released in Ramallah, with the aim of darkening the skies over nearby Jerusalem as a symbol of Palestinian mourning while Israel celebrates its 60th anniversary.

Marches and rallies are also slated for other West Bank cities, and in the Gaza Strip Hamas is calling on residents to march en masse to the closed Israeli border crossing.

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 living under Jordanian control in the West Bank and Egyptian control in the Gaza Strip.

In addition, at least 726,000 Palestinians become refugees, having fled from their homes or having been evicted by the Jewish forces.

Israel celebrated its anniversary last week, according to the Hebrew calendar, and Arab-Israelis held their own Naqba commemorations, clashing with police in several locations. (dpa)