Diplomats in Israel to attend 60th anniversary celebrations next month will not be welcomed by the Palestinian Authority. Dignitaries who wish to visit the P.A. while in the region will be shunned by P.A. Chairman Mahmoud ‘Abbas and other Palestinian leaders, according to a Palestinian official. In the Arab world, Israel‘s independence day is referred to as "Naqba," meaning "catastrophe." U.S. President George W. Bush, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are among heads of state who intend to join in Israel‘s celebrations. The Palestinians said the refusal to meet with leaders would extend only to the Israel anniversary trip and not to future visits to the region.