What does Nakba mean?

Palestinians refer to it as “Al Nakba”, which literally translates as “The Catastrophe”. It refers to the mass exodus of at least 750,000 Arabs from Palestine. Though most believe this event began in 1948, in fact, Al Nakba began decades earlier.

Where is Haifa in Palestine?

Haifa is Israel’s third-largest city, Israel’s chief port and home to 400,000. Draped around the slopes of biblical Mount Carmel, it is a 100-year-old city whose importance burgeoned in the 1920’s and 1930’s as Britain followed its League of Nations mandate over Palestine to create a Jewish homeland.

How did the Nakba start?

Returning to their former homes is a key Palestinian demand, but Israel says it would be overwhelmed. The Nakba stems from the Arab-Israeli war which began on 15 May, 1948 – the day after Israel declared independence when British control of the land, known as Mandate Palestine, was about to end.

What did the Nakba mean for the Palestinians?

The Nakba (Arabic: النكبة ‎, romanized: an-Nakbah, lit. ‘”disaster”, “catastrophe”, or “cataclysm”‘), [1] also known as the Palestinian Catastrophe , was the destruction of Palestinian society and homeland in 1948, and the permanent displacement of a majority of the Palestinian people .

Where are the descendants of the Nakba now?

More than 70 years later, millions of their descendants live in dozens of refugee camps in Gaza, the West Bank and surrounding countries. Nakba Day is now a key commemorative date in the Palestinian calendar. It is traditionally marked on 15 May, the date after Israeli independence was proclaimed in 1948.

What was the date of the Nakba Day?

Nakba Day is now a key commemorative date in the Palestinian calendar. It is traditionally marked on 15 May, the date after Israeli independence was proclaimed in 1948.

Is the Israeli Independence Day on the same day as the Nakba?

As Israel marks events by the Hebrew calendar, Israeli Independence Day usually does not fall on the same day as Nakba Day. The Nakba greatly influenced the Palestinian culture and is a foundational symbol of Palestinian identity, together with ” Handala “, the keffiyeh and the symbolic key.