Israel's alternative independence day

Mothers with prams mixed with old men leaning on sticks, and groups of teenagers sang boisterously alongside those walking in silence. All along the stony path, the sun's rays shone through the tree tops to illuminate the flags and placards. Not every afternoon woodland stroll is labelled a "subversive challenge" to the state, but the Palestinian citizens of Israel were well aware of the significance of their alternative 'Independence Day' event, as they gathered on the ruins of Safuriyya, one of the hundreds of villages destroyed by Israel in 1948.

On a day when across the country, hundreds of thousands attended official military shows, firework displays and communal barbeques, this was the biggest event held by Palestinians inside Israel. Participating in the procession were the very top level Arab leaders, including Knesset members, the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee and the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel.