Thousands are expected to rally on Washington’s National Mall in support of Palestinian rights

By ASHRAF KHALIL
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of protesters are expected to turn out for a rally in the nation’s capital in support of Palestinian rights and an immediate end to Israeli military operations in Gaza. The event Saturday afternoon commemorates the 76th anniversary of what is called the Nakba, the Arabic word for catastrophe, and refers to the exodus of some 700,000 Palestinians who fled or were forced from what is now Israel when the state was created in 1948. Rally organizers didn’t apply for any permits from the National Park Service, which oversees the National Mall. These permits include estimates on attendance and are a traditional step for large rallies or protests.