Palestinians commemorating the creation of Israel have clashed with Israeli security forces across the occupied West Bank, leaving several people wounded.

Marches are held across the Palestinian Territories every 15 May to mark the creation of the Israeli state, an event known as the Nakba or “catastrophe” to Palestinians and much of the Arab world.

Thousands joined the march route through the West Bank city of Ramallah on Monday carrying flags and keys to symbolise the homes lost when around 700,000 Palestinians were forced to flee their homes during the exodus of 1948.

Netanyahu blames Palestinians for lack of peace in Israel

5 June 2017 also marks 50 years since the Six-Day War, in which Israel annexed parts of the West Bank, in a move never recognised by the international community. It is feared the anniversary could lead to further tensions next month.

Dozens of young people threw rocks at Israeli security forces at a checkpoint on the outskirts of the city, to which the soldiers responded with rubber bullets and riot control spray. A Palestinian medic told AFP news agency that 11 people had been hospitalised after being hit with rubber bullets but the extend of their injuries was not known.

Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Show all 64 1 /64 Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A Palestinian man places a green Hamas flag on the rubble of a destroyed mosque after an Israeli air strike in Gaza AP Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Smoke rises after an Israeli air strike in Gaza Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? The destroyed offices of the head of the Hamas government in Gaza AFP Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A smoke trail of a Palestinian rocket launched from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel is seen from the area on the Israeli border with Gaza Strip. Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A Palestinian man inspects the destoryed offices of the head of the Hamas government in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, following overnight Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City on December 31, 2008. Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Israeli tanks deploy on the northern border with the Gaza Strip on December 31, 2008 Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Protesters burn an Israeli flag in a demonstration against the Israeli military offensive in Gaza. Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Israelis mourn during the funeral of Irit Shetreet, in the southern city of Ashdod yesterday Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Israeli soldiers stand atop a tank outside the northern Gaza Strip Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Smoke rises after an Israeli air strike in northern Gaza Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Israeli soldiers guard the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Palestinians inspect the ruins of al-Faruq mosque Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Palestinians gather their belongings as they flee their home following an Israeli air strike Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Palestinian boys carry their belongings as they walk over the ruins of a house Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Palestinians inspect the ruins of a house Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Israeli soldiers guard the Israeli border with the northern Gaza Strip near the kibbutz of Nir Am Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A Palestinian boy carries his belongings after an Israeli air strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? An Israeli soldier prays in front of tanks just outside the central Gaza Strip Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Destroyed Hamas government buildings are seen after an Israeli air strike Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A Palestinian man walks past a destroyed car after an Israeli air strike in Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Palestinian demonstrators take cover from tear gas fired by Israeli soldiers during a protest in the West Bank city of Hebron against the Israeli offensive in Gaza Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A Palestinian youth prepares to throw a stone towards Israeli border police officers at Shuafat refugee camp in the West Bank near Jerusalem in protest of the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A worker loads humanitarian aid onto a truck before it departs for the Gaza Strip, at the King Hussein Bridge crossing near Amman Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Israeli soldiers take cover after a tear gas canister was mistakenly thrown at them by a comrade during scuffles with Palestinian stone-throwers at Qalandiya checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Palestinians take part in a protest in the West Bank city of Hebron against the Israeli air strikes on Gaza Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A Palestinian man looks at the ruins of al-Faruq mosque following an Israeli air strike in the Bureij refugee camp Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? An Israeli soldier cleans the turret of his Merkeva tank as his unit prepares for action at an advance deployment area Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A Palestinian woman walks past a destroyed Hamas police compound after an Israeli air strike Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? An Israeli air strike in the northern Gaza Strip Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A Palestinian protester throws stones at Israeli troops during clashes at a demonstration against Israel's military operation in Gaza AP Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Palestinians carry the wounded to hospital, left, after Israel launched a second day of air strikes on the Gaza Strip Getty Images Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? The strikes sparked protests in Jordan Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A relative carries the body of 4-year-old girl Dena Balosha during her funeral in Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? An explosion is seen after an Israeli air strike in the northern Gaza Strip Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Palestinians look at a destroyed Hamas police compound Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A destroyed Hamas police compound Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? An Israeli soldier stands in front of a tank just outside the northern Gaza Strip Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Israeli soldiers and ultra-Orthodox Jews take cover after a rocket landed near Kibbutz Zikim, just outside the northern Gaza Strip Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? The sun sets behind an Israeli tank near Kibbutz Mefalsim, just outside the northern Gaza Strip Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Smoke rises over the main Hamas security complex Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Smoke rises after an Israel air strike Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Palestinian fire fighters extinguish a fire Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A Palestinian boy walks past a destroyed al-Shifa mosque Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Smoke rises after an Israel air strike Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A Hamas policeman shouts in front of a burning building Reuters Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A Palestinian man inspects the destroyed house of the governor in Gaza City Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? An Israeli soldier rests on an armored personnel carrier (APC) where dozens of the vehicles have been deployed ahead of a possible ground attack against Hamas militants Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A Palestinian man looks at a destroyed building of the Islamic University in Gaza City Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A Palestinian man smokes a cigarette in front of the rubble of a destroyed mosque following an Israeli air strike in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Israeli police rush to the scene of a Palestinian rocket attack moments after the Qassam rocket struck Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A convoy of Israeli army tank transporters heads for an advanced staging post Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? An Israeli woman is evacuted in shock from the scene of a Palestinian rocket attack Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Palestinian firemen extinguish fire from a building following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Palestinians inspect and clear rubble from a house that was bombed Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Smoke billows from the Gaza Strip following Israeli air strikes Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? A wounded Palestinian policeman gestures while lying on the ground as other men look for survivors outside the Hamas police headquarters Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Palestinians inspect the rubble of the presidential building, the office of president Mahmoud Abbas which is now under Hamas control, after it was destroyed by an Israeli air strike Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Palestinian inspect a building after it was destroyed by an Israeli air strike Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (centre) gives a press conference while sat next to Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni (left) and Defence Minister Ehud Barak (right) in Tel Aviv. Olmert said it would take some time to carry out operations in the Gaza Strip and warned his people to prepare for attacks from Hamas. Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? An Israeli soldier walks next to a tank as Israeli soldiers prepare their tanks outside their base near the Sufa crossing on the border with the Gaza strip and Israel. Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? An Israeli nurse holds her head as the alarm goes on at the Barzilai hospital in Ashklon, Israel. Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Fire and smoke rise from a destroyed building as Palestinians carry a victim of an Israeli air strike that targeted Buriej refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip Getty Mark Steel: So what have the Palestinians got to complain about? Palestinian civil defence workers use a hose in an attempt to control a fire consuming a building following a fresh Israeli air strike in Rafah town in the southern Gaza Strip Getty

“For the sake of my future and to return to my family's land, I don't want any more useless negotiations but the path of resistance and the rifle,” Ahmed al-Bedu, a gangly 15-year-old Palestinian who holds Jordanian citizenship, told Reuters in Ramallah.

In Bethlehem, hundreds of people threw rocks at soldiers guarding Rachel’s Tomb, a site venerated by both Jews and Muslims, and were met with tear gas and stun grenades.

There were also clashes causing an unknown number of injuries and arrests outside a refugee camp near Hebron and in Jerusalem.

In other developments, a shell fired from Gaza exploded in an unpopulated area of Israel, causing no damage or injuries, the Israel Defence Force (IDF) said. The Gaza Strip is ruled by militant group Hamas, but no immediate claim of responsibility was made.

While former US Secretary of State John Kerry is visiting the region later this week to resurrect long-stalled peace talks, the Palestinian insistence on the right to return to homes their families fled 65 years ago remains a stumbling block in any deal to end the conflict.

Israel has consistently rejected the Palestinian demand, maintaining it would mean the end of the Jewish nature of the state.

Israel declared its independence from British rule over Palestine on 14 May 1948, which led to a sharp increase in the fighting already raging between local Jews and Arabs which forced many to abandon their homes and seek asylum in neighbouring countries.