NAKBA DAY (Syllabus GS Paper 1 – World History)

Context: On May 15, every year, Palestinians mark the Nakbareferring to the displacement of thousands of Palestinians, and the near-total destruction of Palestinian society in service of the creation of Israel.

Nakba Day

• About: It is an annual day of commemoration for Palestinians, observed on May 15th.
• Meaning of term: The Nakba, which means “catastrophe” in Arabic, refers to the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.
• History of Nakba Day
• British Support for Jewish State: In 1948, the British government backed the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine.
• Declaration of State of Israel: On May 14, 1948, immediately after the British Mandate ended, Zionist forces proclaimed the State of Israel.
• First Arab-Israeli War: This declaration ignited the first Arab-Israeli war, a significant conflict in the region's history.
• Division of Territory: The remaining 22 percent of Palestine was split into the occupied West Bank and the besieged Gaza Strip.

o Fighting persisted until January 1949 when Israel and neighboring countries reached an armistice agreement.

• Green Line: The 1949 Armistice Line, also known as the Green Line, delineates the boundary between Israel and the West Bank.
• 1967 Borders: The Green Line also represents the (pre-)1967 borders, before Israel occupied the remaining Palestinian territories in the June 1967 war.