Millions of Palestinians are expected to join rallies Sunday to commemorate the Nakba, or "catastrophe," of 1948, when Israeli troops displaced hundreds of thousands from their lands and homes.
In the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, sirens will be heard at noon to mark the Nakba's 63rd anniversary as thousands of Palestinians take to the streets to demand the refugees' right to return to their homes and lands.
Huge rallies are expected in cities in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and across the region. Thousands of protesters plan to head towards Israel's borders to show solidarity with Palestinians on Nakba Day.
In Lebanon, two rallies will be held in Maron Ar-Ras and Naqoura near the country's borders with Israel.
Muneer Maqdah, a Fatah commander in Ein El-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon, said over 50,000 people would join the Al-Auda, or "return," rally.
"This is the first time such a large number of protesters will join the rally which shows that no matter how long occupation lasts, it will never make Palestinians forget about Palestine," Maqdah said.
"I believe this rally will mark the beginning of the end of the state of Israel on Palestinian land," he added.
Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak instructed forces to seal off the West Bank for 24 hours, starting at midnight Saturday.
Israel's general police commander Yohanan Danino told Israel Radio that officers would detain rioters.
Israeli police are on high alert, and 10,000 officers and border guards will be deployed in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
"We have mobilized thousands of police officers who are deployed in sensitive areas, particularly in Jerusalem and in the Wadi Ara area," spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said, referring to a northern area near Haifa which has a large population of Palestinians.
"Our forces have been placed on high alert in order to allow the planned events to go ahead, but we will not tolerate any violation of public order," Rosenfeld added.
Overnight, police arrested 13 Palestinians following demonstrations in occupied East Jerusalem, raising to 63 the total number arrested since Friday, he said, adding that eight police had been injured.
Since Friday, stone-throwing youths and police have been locked in clashes across east Jerusalem, which turned deadly on Friday, leaving a 16-year-old Palestinian dead.
Milad Said Ayyash was critically wounded on Friday as Palestinians across East Jerusalem staged protests in the run-up to Sunday's anniversary. He died on Saturday morning.
Ayyash was buried Saturday in a graveyard outside the Old City walls by some 2,000 mourners. Confrontations erupted after the funeral, and Israeli police detained four young Palestinians who threw stones at Israeli troops.
End item/ 129
