PHR
How the Ethnic Cleansing in Palestine Started
With our series on icons from Palestinian revolutionist movements and history, we think it's necessary to cover Nakba, a tragedy and a turning point in the history of Palestine.
To start, Nakba (النَّكْبَة) is a term used to reference the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian Arabs through the violent zionist movement, but mainly used to refer to the 1948 Palestine war, where it all began.
A major occurrence during the events of Nakba orchestrated by the hands of the IDF and its zionist "soldiers," implemented biological warfare in the form of poisoning village wells, to diminish Arab population and eject them from the general populace in order to make way for the zionist population.
About half of Palestine's population was displaced from their homes or exterminated. Over 500 villages, towns, and neighborhoods were erased.
Nakba is considered a national, collectivist trauma in the cultural history of Palestine, and Nakba Day is a routinely observed day -- May 15th annually.
As a society, when we speak of the Holocaust, the Black Holocaust, genocides, the most extreme depravity capable via the hands of our fellow man; we must also remember the ability to continue on. Nakba Day and its twin Naksa(النَّكْسَة), on June 5th are symbols of triumph and perseverance - without the people that lost their lives simply for existing, we are nothing.
Nakba Day is usually observed with Keffiyehs donned, celebration of culture and art; oftentimes accompanied by the famous cartoon character Handala. A day that marks a tragedy, but is rightfully
commemorated outside of the suffering endured by the people of Palestine.
For some more information on Nakba; check out this link via the IMEU if you're interested.
(https://imeu.org/resources/resources/quick-facts-the-palestinian-nakba-catastrophe/142)