The Nakba

**A Village Remembered: The Massacre of Deir Yassin (April 9, 1948)**

Deir Yassin was a small Palestinian village with about 750 residents. It became a tragic example of the violence during the struggle for land. The village was attacked despite a previous peace agreement with nearby Jewish settlements. This resulted in the brutal killing of around 100 civilians, mainly women, children, and the elderly. One survivor, Dawud Assad, who was 18 at the time, remembers the horror and the forced expulsion that followed.

**Historical Roots of the Nakba: Competing Visions for Palestine**

For many years, Palestine was home to a diverse population, including both Muslim and Christian Palestinians, along with smaller Jewish communities. In the late Ottoman Empire, it was mainly an Arab-speaking region with a rich culture and connection to the land. As the 19th and 20th centuries approached, two political movements emerged: Arab nationalism, which sought independence from the Ottoman Empire, and Zionism, which aimed to create a Jewish state in Palestine. Adding complexity to the conflict was British colonial interest in the area.

**The Balfour Declaration and British Betrayal (1917)**

The Balfour Declaration in 1917 was a significant turning point. The British government supported the idea of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine without consulting the Palestinian population. This declaration opened doors for Zionists but left Palestinians feeling betrayed. It defined them as "non-Jewish communities," only granting civil and religious rights without political sovereignty.

**Partition and War: The 1947 UN Plan and Its Aftermath**

In 1947, the UN suggested dividing Palestine into a Jewish and an Arab state, with Jerusalem under international control. Despite Palestinians outnumbering Jewish settlers significantly, they rejected the plan, considering it unjust. However, due to strong lobbying and international sympathy following the Holocaust, the UN approved the partition. Violence soon erupted, leading to mass expulsions, massacres, and the destruction of over 500 Palestinian villages.

**The Nakba (Catastrophe) of 1948: Ethnic Cleansing and Forced Displacement**

The Nakba refers to the forced removal of over 750,000 Palestinians from their homes in 1948. More than 500 villages were destroyed during this time. Zionist militias implemented a strategy known as Plan D, which targeted key Arab areas for removal of Palestinian inhabitants. The massacre at Deir Yassin, along with the fall of cities like Haifa and Jaffa, were part of this tragic event. On May 14, 1948, Israel declared independence, which marked the beginning of a long period of statelessness and exile for Palestinians.

**The Nakba's Legacy: A Catastrophe Without End**

Today, millions of Palestinians continue to live as refugees, unable to return to their homes. The Nakba is more than just a historical event; it remains a current reality. While many Israelis celebrate their Independence Day, Palestinians observe May 15th as a day of protest. They hold up keys that symbolize their lost homes and their hope for a return. Despite attempts to erase the memory of Arab Palestine—like renaming places and planting forests over destroyed villages—the legacy of the Nakba continues to haunt the Palestinian identity.

This summary captures the critical events leading up to and following the Nakba, focusing on its enduring impact on Palestinian identity and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.