RAMALLAH & TEL AVIV, June 3, 2006 (WAFA)- Palestinians and Israelis called Saturday night in two simultaneous rallies in Ramallah and Tel Aviv for ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.

On the 39th anniversary of the Occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the demonstrators held the rally under the title of "stop the boycott and the siege on the Palestinian people."

In Tel Aviv, hundreds of people comprised of a wide coalition of Israeli peace movements and political parties, held a protest march and rally to mark the 39-year anniversary of Israel's "occupation of the Palestinian territories."

The main messages of the rally were: Democratic elections should be respected; Democracy is no reason for punishment; and Negotiations with Palestinian elected representatives, without preconditions.

Participating groups and organisations included the Coalition of Women for Peace, Gush Shalom, Ta'ayush, Hadash, Balad, Banki, Yesh Gvul, Bat shalom, AIC, ICAHD, Student Coalition of Tel Aviv University, The Campus is Not Silent, and Artists Without Walls.

Ynetnews said that former Israeli Minister Shulamit Aloni bitterly attacked Israel's policies in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. "How much more degradation can the occupying State of Israel achieve? How much more degrading can the army that is called the Israel Defense Force be?".

Addressing a Israeli High Court decision restricting Palestinians who married Israeli-Arabs from entering the country, Aloni said: "The judge said these were people from an enemy country. Who is the enemy? Who rules there? Who steals the lands?"

In Ramallah, the demonstration focused on the situation of the Palestinian territories and speakers emphasised the need to united Palestinian factions and to reactivate the PLO.

Demonstrators called on the international community to "remove the blockade on the Palestinian people and respect our democratic choice."

Earlier in the morning, Palestinian students held a demonstration against the Atara checkpoint north of Bier Zeit village near Ramallah. They were joined by Israeli students and international activists from various Palestinian solidarity groups.

(23:46 P) (20:46 GMT)