 "Palestinians observe 76th anniversary of mass-expulsion from present day-Israel. What is 'Nakba' Day?")
On Wednesday (15 May), Palestinians will commemorate the 76th anniversary of their mass expulsion from what is now Israel, a pivotal event in their national struggle. However, the current crisis unfolding in Gaza far surpasses the magnitude of this historical tragedy.
Referred to as the ‘Nakba’, meaning “catastrophe” in Arabic, the 1948 Arab-Israeli war led to the displacement of approximately 700,000 Palestinians, constituting a majority of the prewar population.
Israel’s refusal to allow their return post-war, fearing a demographic shift, resulted in the establishment of a sizable refugee community, now numbering around 6 million, predominantly residing in urban refugee camps across Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. In Gaza, these refugees and their descendants make up about three-quarters of the population.
The denial of Palestinians’ right of return by Israel remains a core grievance in the conflict, contributing to the breakdown of peace talks over the past 15 years. The refugee camps have historically served as strongholds of Palestinian militancy.
What is Nakba Day?
Nakba Day, observed on the 15th of May, commemorates the beginning of the Arab-Israeli war in 1948 and serves as a day of protest for Palestinians against their displacement. Many participants display Palestinian flags, carry symbolic keys representing their former homes, or hold banners depicting keys, symbolising their aspiration to return home—a right they assert belongs to them.
In the past, some of these demonstrations have escalated into violent confrontations. Israel has alleged that Hamas and other organisations designated as terrorist entities by the EU and other nations exploit this day for their own agendas, reported Deutsche Welle.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe term “Nakba Day” was introduced by then-Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in 1998, establishing it as the official day for remembering the loss of the Palestinian homeland.
Why did Palestinians have to leave?
Until the conclusion of World War I, Palestine was under Ottoman rule as part of the Ottoman Empire. Subsequently, it fell under British control through the Mandate for Palestine. During this period, characterised by escalating antisemitism in Europe, an increasing number of Jews from various regions migrated to Palestine, viewing it as their ancestral homeland—Eretz Israel, the Promised Land where Jews had historically resided, albeit in smaller numbers.
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Following the Holocaust in Nazi Germany, the United Nations adopted a Partition Plan for Palestine. While the Jewish Agency for Palestine accepted the plan, the Arab League rejected it. On 14 May, 1948, the State of Israel was declared.
In response, a coalition of five Arab states declared war, but Israel emerged victorious by 1949. Prior to the war, an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 Palestinians had already fled or been expelled, with an additional 300,000 to 400,000 displaced during the conflict, totaling approximately 700,000 people.
During the war, more than 400 Arab villages were razed. While both sides committed human rights violations, the massacre at Deir Yassin—a village between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem—remains deeply ingrained in Palestinian memory. The event, which resulted in the deaths of at least 100 individuals, including women and children, instilled widespread fear among Palestinians, prompting many to flee.
By the war’s end, Israel controlled roughly 40% of the territory originally designated for Palestinians by the UN partition plan of 1947.
Where did Palestinians go?
The majority of Palestinians became stateless refugees in the Gaza Strip, the occupied West Bank, and neighbouring Arab countries, with only a minority resettling further abroad.
Today, a significant portion of second and third-generation Palestinians remains stateless, contributing to the current population of approximately 6.2 million Palestinians in the Middle East.
Where do they live today?
According to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the majority of Palestinians in the region reside in refugee camps, which over time have transformed into towns. These camps are predominantly located in the Gaza Strip, the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and East Jerusalem.
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The global Palestinian diaspora is estimated to range from 6 to 7 million individuals. However, due to the absence of a centralised authority tracking Palestinians worldwide, precise data is unavailable.
What is the Palestinian right to return?
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194 in 1948, along with UN Resolution 3236 in 1974 and the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees, asserts the “right of return” for Palestinians recognised as refugees.
However, Israel has rejected the “right of return,” arguing that it would jeopardise its status as a Jewish state. Israel has denied responsibility for Palestinian displacement, citing the expulsion or flight of around 800,000 Jews from Arab countries such as Morocco, Iraq, Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen between 1948 and 1972.
What is the current situation?
Now, Palestinians fear a recurrence of their traumatic history on a potentially catastrophic scale. Amid Israel’s ongoing offensive, Palestinians in Gaza are evacuating to already overcrowded tent camps , evoking poignant parallels with the mass exodus of 1948.
Speaking to AP, Mustafa al-Gazzar, now 81, vividly recalls his family’s harrowing journey from their village in central Israel to Rafah during his childhood, including experiences of aerial bombardment and makeshift shelters. Forced to flee once more over the weekend, al-Gazzar now resides in a tent in Muwasi, where living conditions are even more dire than in 1948.
“My hope in 1948 was to return, but my hope today is to survive,” he told AP. “I live in such fear,” he added, breaking into tears. “I cannot provide for my children and grandchildren.”
The current conflict, triggered by Hamas’ attack into Israel, has resulted in the deaths of over 35,000 Palestinians, making it the deadliest round of fighting in the conflict’s history. Additionally, approximately 1.7 million Palestinians, comprising three-quarters of Gaza’s population, have been displaced multiple times.
With Israel sealing its border and Egypt limiting Palestinian exit, fears of a protracted refugee crisis loom large. Despite international opposition, far-right factions within the Israeli government advocate for “voluntary emigration” of Palestinians from Gaza.
Israel’s longstanding stance on absorbing refugees from 1948 into host countries, rather than facilitating their return, remains unchanged. The possibility of Palestinians never reclaiming their homes or rebuilding amidst widespread destruction further exacerbates their plight.
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In contrast to the 1948 war, where Jewish militias primarily used lighter weaponry, Israel’s current military campaign in Gaza is characterised by unprecedented force, resulting in extensive civilian casualties and infrastructure damage. The World Bank estimates the damage at $18.5 billion, equivalent to the GDP of the entire Palestinian territories in 2022.
Even prior to the current conflict, Palestinians decried an ongoing Nakba, characterised by Israel’s gradual displacement policies in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. Home demolitions, settlement expansion, and discriminatory practices, labeled as apartheid by major rights groups, continue to undermine Palestinian aspirations for statehood.
With inputs from agencies
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