Occasion commemorates ‘catastrophe’ of the creation of Israel
Hundreds of Palestinians gathered in front of Yasser Arafat’s tomb in the West Bank city of Ramallah on the morning of May 15 to commemorate Nakba Day.
Nakba, Arabic for “catastrophe,” is how Palestinians refer to the creation of Israel. Nakba Day is held on the Gregorian date marking the day after Israel declared independence in 1948, signaling the displacement of Palestinians from their towns and villages.
Walking from the tomb – on the grounds of the Muqata, the headquarters of the Palestinian Authority – toward the city center, angry protesters shouted slogans expressing their frustration from the painful occasion, as well as their rejection of the yet-to-be-presented Trump Administration plan aimed at bringing peace to the region.
In a rare show of unity, nationalist and Islamic forces on Sunday called on Palestinians to join Nakba demonstrations and other activities held to mark the day as an expression of unity against what US President Donald Trump once touted as the “Deal of the Century.”
It is widely believed that the plan ignores Palestinian demands for a right to return to villages in Israel that they or their forbears left. In fact, many demonstrators held symbolic keys and placards signifying those villages, with the refrain “We will return.”
In their Sunday statement, the Nationalist and Islamic forces urged Palestinians to boycott Israeli goods; unite in the face of the Israeli occupation’s policies, especially during the holy month of Ramadan; and travel to Jerusalem to practice their right of worship and access at the Aqsa Mosque in the Old City. They also called for the coming Friday to be a day of escalation, with clashes at various flashpoints, including Aqsa.
Muneer al-Zahub, head of the Fatah party’s media office, told The Media Line that this year’s Nakba Day marked the first anniversary of the move of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, as well as Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
“The American administration moved its embassy on the same date of our Nakba on purpose, to annoy the Palestinian people,” he said.
Zahub added that the Palestinian side had compromised and accepted the two-state solution while the Israeli side, with support from the United States, was no longer considering this as a solution.
“Now, with the American [approach to ending] the conflict and the role of the US, the Palestinian people are out of hope,” he said. “Our economy is collapsing. People are frustrated and have no money.”
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release published on Tuesday that the revival of the Palestinian people and their leadership in commemorating the 71st anniversary of the nakba reflected a determination to topple the Deal of the Century.
“The commemoration of the Nakba this year comes in the face of serious challenges to the Palestinian cause,” the statement said, explaining that the challenges were mainly related to Trump’s policies, especially those concerning Jerusalem and the issue of Palestinian refugees.
Mohammed Hadyeh, a Palestinian political analyst based in East Jerusalem, affirmed to The Media Line that this year’s Nakba Day signified more of a catastrophe than previous Nakba Days owing not only to Israel and the Trump Administration, but also to regional wars.
“The Palestinian refugees have suffered and still suffer the most,” Hadyeh said, explaining that many had been displaced from refugee camps due to fighting in countries elsewhere in the region.
Nevertheless, Hadyeh said that US policies on Jerusalem and refugees “mean that the Palestinian cause is being liquidated.” He explained that the Palestinian case was heading for a very dangerous curve that the Palestinian people and their leaders were not ready or equipped to deal with.
“The Arabic, as well as Islamic, depth regarding the Palestinian case is very weak,” Hadye elaborated. “The Palestinian case is no longer a priority in the Arab region.”
In this respect, the Arab League has called on the United Nations, especially its Security Council, to work toward an international protection system for the Palestinian people. It urged the UN to end the Israeli occupation and enable the Palestinian people to exercise their legitimate rights of return and self-determination, and establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.