Written By Dana Nazha

Photo By The New Arab

After the creation of the brutal settler-colonial state of “Israel” in 1948, over 800,000 Palestinians were forced out of their homeland to become refugees. Because of Israel’s continued colonization of Palestine, there are now around 7.2 million Palestinian refugees around the world. Since then, Israel has continued to deny Palestinians their right to return to their ancestral towns, villages, and homes. In fact, the Palestinian refugees have become the largest refugee around the world and the longest waiting to return to their homeland.

On Sunday, May 15th, Palestinians around the world commemorate the 74th anniversary of the Nakba, also known as “the catastrophe”. From 1947 until 1948, various Zionist terrorist groups started destroying and ethnically cleansing over 500 towns and villages in Palestine, to create the settler-colonial state of “Israel”. These Palestinian towns and villages were left to be repopulated and renamed by the Jewish settlers.

For 74 years, the Palestinian people have been subject to colonization, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid. For as long as Israel exists, the Nakba continues. And until this day, Israel continues to destroy Palestinian towns and villages. In fact, at the beginning of May, Israel decided to demolish over 12 Palestinian villages in Masafer Yatta. This form of ethnic cleansing has led to the displacement of over 4,000 Palestinian citizens, the largest number of displaced Palestinians since 1967.

“I still hope that I’ll die in my hometown. I may be using a walker to move around today. But, if they told me I can go back to Jeseer, I’d run all the way” said the Palestinian elderly, Umm Omar, in an interview as she was only eight when she was expelled from her home in Jusayr in 1948.

This year’s anniversary was fueled with more anger after the Israeli forces killed Palestinian Al Jazeera journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh. Shireen was a television correspondent that was known and valued across the Arab world for her brave coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Palestinian embassy in Doha, Qatar, commemorated Nakba day, by holding a memorial for Shireen Abu Akleh. 

“In the Palestinian territories, every family knew her name so they engaged with common narratives as they knew she was able to deliver their story on  justice. She reciprocated by visiting and covering every town, city, and even a refugee camp,” said Dalia Hatouqa in an open commentary. “No story was too small for her, despite her seniority, having spent nearly three decades in the field.”

To Israel, the Palestinians pose a huge demographic threat to the existence and colonial expansion of Israel. As a result, Palestinian refugees are denied their lawful right of return, as their towns and villages are destroyed to build illegal settlements. Israel plans to uphold their illegal regime by also keeping Palestinians in Israel inferior, and with fewer rights than the Israelis. 

Moreover, members of the US Congress introduced a resolution on Monday 16th of May that recognizes the Nakba. If the resolution passes, it would be the first time that the US government officially recognizes Palestinian refugees’ right to return to their homeland. The resolution aims to officially commemorate the Nakba, encourage more education about it, reject any efforts attempting to deny that the Nakba happened, and provide aid and support for Palestinian refugees. 

74 years later, Palestinians still dream of returning to their hometowns. As long as Palestinian refugees are denied the right of return, the Nakba continues.