On the Anniversary of Nakba
Over seventy-seven years have passed since the initial event of an-Nakba, or “the catastrophe,” in Arabic. In that foundational tragedy, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced from their homes, and the ongoing Israeli destruction of Gaza is just the latest episode in this horrific ethnic cleansing.
In the wake of Israeli independence in 1947 and the British Mandate over the land ending, war broke out between the newly declared state, Palestinians living in the same territory, and neighboring states. After a year of fighting, Israel had conquered a majority of Palestine. The fighting included both psychological and biological attacks, such as Israeli poisoning of Palestinian water supplies.
This was the first significant event in what is called the “ongoing Nakba.” The continual illegal settler colonialism by Israelis into the Palestinian Territories has continued to push the Palestinian people to the brink. It is nothing short of ethnic cleansing. As of today, including the ongoing assault on Gaza, which itself has claimed over 50,000 Palestinian lives, 134,000 have been killed since 1947, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.
We at Atlas wish to commemorate this anniversary of Nakba Day in remembrance of all those who have been killed, wounded, and displaced by the violence which has now raged intermittently for nearly four generations. Palestinians deserve to call any place they wish their home, just like anyone else on the globe, and they deserve to be able to do so without the fear of systematic violence and threat of extinction.
In many ways, Nakba is the persistent failure of the post-1945 era, the era when the United Nations (UN) was envisioned to be a place and means of resolving differences without resorting to force. Palestine has never been allowed to become a nation state, let alone a full member of the UN. We continue to call for Palestinian statehood and for Palestine to be immediately accepted as a UN member state. Many of these proposals have failed due to the conflicting interests of great powers who stand in the way at the head of a UN which serves their security over the needs of the world’s population.
These are lofty goals we should all aim for, but we cannot lose focus on actions we can take at more local and regional levels. Something which can be done right now is to endorse our Freedom Emergency and send an email to the President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) demanding an end to the violence and for the UNGA to add more pressure on Israel and their enablers. Additionally, Freedom Emergencies must be endorsed not only by the highest governing bodies, but at all levels of government. We ask that you lobby your town, city, region, and national governments to proclaim a Freedom Emergency as well.
Lastly, we would ask that you join with us, not merely as organizers and activists, but as a political force seeking to enter the democratic halls of power. Making change stick requires feet in the street and seats occupied by leaders who refuse to turn a blind eye to the cruel reality so many are forced to suffer. This is one aspect among many we must work on, and all the voices who join will make the desired future one both suited for surviving and thriving.
By Trent Trepanier
Photo: Institute for Middle East Understanding