Every year on 5 may on the Jewish calendar, early in the morning the Israelis out of their homes in order to celebrate the national day occupation of the state, or, as it is the most famous, independence Day of Israel (Yom haatzmaut), proclaimed in honor of the anniversary of the establishment of the state of Israel, as well as the adoption of the Declaration of independence, and, accordingly, the end of the British mandate in Palestine.
This anniversary that we, the Arabs, remember under the name “Nakba” (catastrophe, the Palestinian Exodus) happened in the last hours of may 14, 1948 according to the Gregorian calendar.
During the Nakba committed mass slaughter and murder that ultimately led to the destruction of Palestinian villages. Thousands of residents lost their homes and were forced to move to new locations inside the country or abroad. All this was done in order to create a Jewish state known as Israel, but its history includes the events of the Nakba, the occupation of the Zionist movement more portions of Palestinian land and the expulsion of more than 750 thousand Palestinians from the country and granting them refugee status.
The term “Nakba” also includes dozens of massacres, atrocities, genocide, robbery committed against Palestinians and destruction of over 500 villages, the destruction of the main Palestinian cities, and their transformation into new Jewish settlements. The purpose of these actions is the destruction of the Palestinian identity in order to obtain the right to claim that this land has never lived this people.
In addition, the “Nakba” also implies the Erasure of Arabic geographical names and replace them with Hebrew, the destruction and the destruction of the original nature of the Arab countries, with the aim of creating a European exotic natural landscape in the Arab region.
Their independence day is our Nakba
Day haatzmaut or independence Day is a national holiday in Israel, which, as we have previously mentioned, is celebrated on may 5 according to the Jewish calendar. However, if this day falls on a Friday or Saturday, the celebration moved to the previous Thursday.
Festivities begin at the tomb of the founder of the state of Israel, Theodor Herzl on the same mount in Jerusalem. The representative of the Knesset symbolically lights the fire, and then another 12 lights, symbolizing the “twelve tribes of Israel” that will mark the beginning of the celebration. Then there are the torchbearers, and military parades begin, and after sports celebration and dance ceremony.
On this day, awarded the state awards, and ends with the celebration by the firing of guns, the number of bursts which is equal to the number of years of independence/occupation.
Most recently, since 1998, every year on the day haatzmaut Palestinians living in inland areas, began to remember the events of “Nakba” and to raise slogans and posters “your independence is our Nakba”. Thousands of Palestinians and “Arabs 48” (Arabs living in Israel — approx. ed.) are referred to one of the destroyed villages, on the spot where was erected the Israeli town. They organize a March called “March of return”, during which raise Palestinian flags, the keys of the demolished houses. In the first series bear on their shoulders of elders and seniors, who witnessed the Nakba. After all, they were forcibly expelled from their homes and villages that were subsequently destroyed in order to replace them with Zionist companies, and then to send a message to the former residents that the issue of their return is not negotiable.
In recent years, the Israeli government is struggling to prevent the Palestinians and Israeli Arabs to carry out 5 may each year meeting to commemorate the Nakba, because this event has a special significance for the Israeli people. However, due to the large number of participants, especially representatives of the current generation and children, all attempts fail.
Seven years ago, Israel approved a law imposing fines on each government Agency, which will try to Finance any activity associated with the memory of the “Nakba”. However, this law did not become an obstacle for the Palestinians, it was expected that the representatives of right-wing forces in the Knesset will require expansion of its activities.
March of return in al-Kabri
According to the Jewish calendar may 5 — may 2 in the Gregorian calendar. Feast and celebration in Israel began in the second half of the day may 1 (4). Association for the protection of the rights of immigrants and the High Committee called on Palestinians and Arabs living in the occupied territories -160 thousand Palestinians who had not fled their homeland after the creation of the state of Israel, constituting about 20% of the total population of this country — to participate in the March of return in the village of al-Kabri, located in the district of acre. After all, on its ruins was built a Jewish town bearing the same name.
Emigration of the village took place on 21 may 1948 after the Zionist forces attacked and killed and destroyed a great part of its inhabitants, the other part were expelled from their homeland. The total number of victims, their hands were made 6218. All the houses of the village, the number of which was close to 1477, was completely destroyed, and the land is “raped” in order to create on its ruins a kibbutz CABRI.
According to the daily Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the organizers of the March went to the police in order to obtain the necessary for the event permit. However, the police refused to do so.
The organizers said that the police’s refusal to issue a permit was due to political reasons, while presented the police said, “This day coincides with the celebration of Israel’s independence day. The reasons for the refusal — of the professional kind. After all this time organized commemorative events, and, therefore, the police in this day monitors the safety of millions of people walking in Israel.”
Also the police in interview to the newspaper Haaretz added that “this March, which is attended by approximately 25,000 demonstrators, it requires tremendous effort on the part of the police, and to this day, no such resources”. The March of return was carried out over the last 18 years in the same day, when Israel celebrates their independence day. Earlier, the police never denied the necessary permits to conduct because of the “full employment of all employees of the police in providing security during the celebrations of the independence day of the state of Israel.”
The lawyers representing the interests of organizations for the “March of return,” noted that “the decision of the police is a political, not a professional solution, because for the last 18 years, the parade is held on the same day, when Israel celebrates its independence”. Newspaper Haaretz also pointed to the fact that the human rights organization “Justice” went to the police to ensure that she provided the necessary to conduct a March permit. The lawyer also confirmed that there are “suspicions that the police’s refusal is politically motivated”. However, last Saturday the Israeli police still allowed the March in response to the demands of the organizers of the “March of return”.
At exactly two in the afternoon in Jerusalem, thousands of Palestinians living in the occupied territories came together and in three hours of the day went in the direction of the village of al-Kabri, raising Palestinian flags, pictures of prisoners in the prisons of the Zionist enemy, and also photos of children of prisoners in the camps in the village of al-Kabri, who were unable to attend that day on the March. They defend their right to return home. The demonstrators stayed in the area, which was chosen as the venue for the political and cultural festival. Here, various events are organized procivesa the right to return and national identity.
Strike prisoners in Israeli jails reflected in the March of return
This year, the anniversary of the Nakba coincided with the hunger strike and the brave prisoners in the prisons of the Zionist enemy, which lasted 16 days, in order to protect their legitimate rights to freedom and to resist the enemy.
1500 prisoners, including Marwan Barghouti, completely abandoned any tonics, like glucose or milk products, and consumed only water and salt to prevent the infection. To prevent the spread of the strike, Israeli authorities have banned the use of salt. That’s why these prisoners cannot be forgotten. The people who took part in the March, raised photos of prisoners and have set up tents and tents to support the steadfastness and resistance of the prisoners.
Refugees and posters of destroyed Palestinian villages during the March of return
The organizers of the “March of return” sought to carry out activities in the organization’s cultural and political festivals, and thus to assert their Palestinian identity, singing the Palestinian national anthem and remembering the history of their ancestors who were forced to leave their homeland and what happened on the eve of 14 may 1948. All these events should be a reminder children, grandchildren and new generations participating in the March in order to have their consciousness rooted in the fact that they have a right to resist and return, and nothing can replace their Palestinian identity.
The children also took part in some activities, raising Palestinian identity. Photographs of inmates were raised in the tents of the festival, in addition to raised banners with the names of destroyed Palestinian villages, the ruins of which was built by the Israeli kibbutzim.
It should also mention the participation of a large number of Jewish activists who are on the side of the Palestinians and denying the mass murder of the Palestinian people committed by the Zionist state. During the “March of return” they tried to commemorate the “Nakba”, so they raised posters with slogans of support for the rights of the Palestinians, and also admired the courage of the prisoners who are resisting in Israeli prisons. Moreover, they stressed that the Palestinians have right of return and resistance.
