RAMALLAH (Dispatches) – Palestinians across the world commemorate the 77th anniversary of the Nakba of Palestine, when Israel was created at the expense of the forced expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homeland.
For the second year in a row, the anniversary of the Nakba comes at a very exceptional time, given the unprecedented catastrophic conditions the Gaza Strip are experiencing due to the ongoing Israeli occupation aggression for 583 days. This scene echoes the bloody massacres committed by the occupation in displaced Palestinian villages and towns.
Air raid siren sounded for 77 seconds in various Palestinian cities Wednesday, marking the number of years since the Nakba. Hundreds of Palestinians observed 77 seconds of silence during the sirens, commemorating the 77th anniversary of the Nakba.
The daily scene in the West Bank was also marked by bloodshed. The Israeli aggression machine hardly ceases its almost daily raids, destruction, killings, displacements, and detentions, accompanied by abuse, against Palestinian cities and villages.
This is particularly true of the ongoing assault on the Tulkarm and Jenin refugee camps, which has resulted in the martyrdom and injury of dozens, the displacement of more than 40,000 from their homes, and the systematic destruction of infrastructure.
Thousands of Palestinians participated in the central festival, which began in front of the tomb of the late leader Yasser Arafat and headed toward Al-Manara Square. During the rally, the Palestinian flag, black banners, and the keys to return were raised.
The march, called for by the Department of Refugee Affairs and the Higher National Committee for Commemorating the Nakba, was also attended by members of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Central Committee of the Fatah Movement, members of the Revolutionary Council, national action factions, a number of ministers, and representatives of official and popular institutions and civil society organizations.
In a speech delivered on behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas, Mahmoud al-Aloul, Deputy Chairman of the Fatah Movement and member of the Central Committee, said that the Nakba is the greatest crime committed in history, due to the scale and enormity of the massacres perpetrated against our people. Villages were annihilated, and a large portion were displaced both inside and outside the homeland.
He added that the suffering of our people continues, and the occupation is trying to subjugate them until they relinquish their rights and their cherished land. However, it will fail, as always, in the face of our people’s steadfastness and sacrifices.
He continued, “We commemorate this anniversary under difficult circumstances.
Israel proclaimed its illegal existence on May 15, 1948 when about 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly expelled from their homeland. The day is known among Palestinians as the Day of Nakba, or catastrophe.
For the first time in its history, the United Nations commemorated the 75th anniversary of Nakba Day on May 15, 2023.