Press Releases

For Immediate Release

Badil has prepared a three-part series on the continuing Nakba covering the origin of the 1948 Nakba (Part I), events from 1948-1967 and the occupation of West Bank and Gaza (Part II) and Palestinian life under occupation and in exile 1967-2004 (Part III). 

Part I, (BADIL Bulletin No. 17) will be on BADIL’s web site on Friday, 14 May.
Other parts will follow in the next week. See www.badil.org

National days, anniversaries and holidays usually celebrate positive events--the end of a war, the signing of a peace treaty, the birth date of a famous historical figure.   Palestine’s day of commemoration, 15 May, observes the start of an on-going catastrophe, not a fixed, one-time event.  On the same date, Israel celebrates its declaration of independence.

Al-Nakba day marks the mass expulsion and dispossession of the Palestinian people during the 1948 conflict and war in Palestine. It is also a demand for the respect of human rights and rule of law, especially the right of refugees and internally displaced Palestinians to return and repossess their homes, lands and properties.

For most Palestinians the Nakba is a continuing catastrophe with daily military attacks, house demolitions, land confiscation, expanding Jewish colonies, broken promises and make believe withdrawals from Palestinian territory.