The 'catastrophe' of Nakba Day
Palestinians across the world mark Nakba Day on Wednesday, an event commemorating the mass expulsion from their homes during the conflict that created the State of Israel in 1948.
This year, Palestinian Americans say they are remembering the Nakba, meaning “catastrophe,” with sorrow and fear as they watch events unfold in Gaza. Images of Palestinians fleeing on foot, with whatever they can carry, or huddled in tents in makeshift refugee camps have evoked painful memories of the past.
The turmoil took place after the 1947 United Nations vote to partition Palestine for Jews and Arabs. The movement for a Jewish state went back decades and gained international support after the Holocaust, as persecuted Jews sought refuge from antisemitism and a national home. In the ensuing conflict, some 750,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes.