Nakba 75 - Personal Perspectives: “Nakba is our daily reality”
The 15th May 2023 will mark 75 years since Israel became an independent state, the realisation of a dream of many for a homeland where Jewish people could feel safe, but also an event Palestinians remember as the Nakba (Catastrophe).
Palestinian refugees in 1948.
Between 1947-49 over 530 Palestinian towns and villages were destroyed and millions of families fled their homes. These families expected to return but very few ever did. There are currently over 5.9 million Palestinian refugees registered with UNWRA.
The desire of Jewish communities, who had been persecuted for centuries and experienced immeasurable suffering in the 20th Century, to secure for themselves and their children a safe and free future, must be remembered. The achievement of this goal should be celebrated. Nevertheless, the Balfour Declaration stated that in achieving the aspirations of the Jewish community, “nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish Communities in Palestine”. This week we remember that realising the aspiration of the Jewish community came at great cost to another people, the Palestinians.
We asked our partners, who are predominantly Palestinian, to reflect on what this 75th anniversary means to them. We are sharing their responses in this blog series: Nakba 75 - Personal Perspectives. Their desires for their children’s safety and freedom echo in history. Our hope and prayers are for a future where all peoples of the Holy Land can live in safety and freedom.
Our first response comes from Omar, a friend of Embrace who lives near Ramallah in the West Bank:
NAKBA IS OUR DAILY REALITY
WHAT DOES 15th MAY 2023 MEAN TO YOU?
Many groups use dates to collectively commemorate major tragedies in their own histories and narratives. For me this date is complicated. Besides 15th May being the date that we Palestinians commemorate Nakba, a major event in our recent history, the date also happens to be my wife’s birthday. This coincidence could be seen as a bad joke, but also is a reminder that 15th May 2023 is a day like any other day in our calendar.
For over 75 years, the Palestinian people have been going through an ongoing Nakba. We feel our existence, in its entirety, is at risk. Nakba is not an historical event, but our daily reality. Our reality is not only shaped by our tragedies, but also with our steadfastness through resistance and preserving our communities.
HOW DOES WHAT HAPPENED IN 1948 IMPACT YOUR LIFE TODAY?
The newly established country of Israel was raised on the ruins of our historical home, Palestine. In 1948, we lost two-thirds of our historical land, and over 700,000 Palestinians became refugees. Many Christians felt they lost their faith when scripture was used to justify taking over our land. We Palestinians did not find comfort in becoming the victims of many who were victims of the European antisemitism.
1948 has brought out the “warrior” in us, the Palestinians, everything became a “battle” in a seemingly everlasting struggle. It’s a battle to be a Palestinian, a battle to go back home as a refugee, a battle to find a place to live, a battle to be reunited with your family, a battle to go to school, a battle to travel, a battle to have access to drinking water, a battle to share our story, a battle to expose our oppressors and their partners; we are forced to be warriors in this endless struggle.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES AND FEARS FOR THE FUTURE?
I honestly don’t have special hopes nor uncommon fears; I am a typical person living a typical life. In many ways I feel blessed. It is a blessing living in the land of our Holy One and among my family and community. It’s true living under an occupation is far from a normal life, but the military occupation has become one more challenge we are forced to overcome. It is sad that a senseless and evil occupation that is focused on our dispossession and replacement has become part of our reality.
WHAT IMAGE REPRESENTS HOME TO YOU?
The Tabor Oak is native to Palestine. It can withstand heat and dryness and provides plenty of shade, rises to 15m of height and has an especially thick bark, making it resistant to fires and resilient to disease.
*All views expressed above those of the respondent, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Embrace the Middle East.
These testimonies give us hope that a future built upon dignity, rights and justice is possible, although the journey will not be smooth.
Please pray for the resilience, creativity and capacity for hope for these inspiring individuals and all of our partners across the Holy Land.
NAKBA 75 - PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES BLOG SERIES
Read the next blog in the series:
