The term "Nakba", which means "catastrophe" or "disaster" in Arabic, refers to the events of 1948 surrounding the establishment of the state of Israel and the subsequent displacement of a significant number of Palestinian Arabs.
The roots of the Nakba lie in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the rise of Zionism, a political movement advocating for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. This coincided with increased Jewish immigration to the region, which was then under Ottoman Empire rule until the end of World War I. After the war, Palestine came under British Mandate control.
During the war, numerous Palestinian villages were depopulated, either through military operations by Israeli forces or through flight due to fear of violence. Key aspects include:
The consequences of the Nakba were profound:
The Nakba is commemorated by Palestinians annually on May 15th, known as Nakba Day, highlighting their narrative of loss and displacement.