Louth TD invites public to join marking 77th anniversary of the ‘Nakba’

Louth TD Ruairí Ó Murchú has invited people to stand in solidarity with the Palestinians to mark the 77th anniversary of the ‘Nakba’ this Friday.

The gathering, which takes place behind the Imperial Hotel and at the back of Williamson’s Mall on May 16th at 2pm, marks the anniversary of Nakba, which Deouty Ó Murchú said was "the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians through violent displacement and dispossession of their land and the destruction of their society, culture and identity".

Deputy Ó Murchú said: "It is not enough to utter words of condemnation, there needs to be action. As we approach the 77th anniversary of the Nakba, it is an appropriate time to pass the Occupied Territories Bill. 

"It is a term used to describe events in 1948 but as we are all witnessing, those events are continuing and escalating today as we see the genocide unfolding in front of our eyes. I invite people to come along on Friday to a solidarity protest we are holding to mark the 1948 Nakba and to show support for the Palestinian people. Bring flags and banners and everyone who is appalled at the events in Gaza is welcome."

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The United Nations says this about the Nakba: "The Nakba, which means “catastrophe” in Arabic, refers to the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. Before the Nakba, Palestine was a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society. However, the conflict between Arabs and Jews intensified in the 1930s with the increase of Jewish immigration, driven by persecution in Europe, and with the Zionist movement aiming to establish a Jewish state in Palestine.

"In November 1947, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution partitioning Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab, with Jerusalem under a UN administration. The Arab world rejected the plan, arguing that it was unfair and violated the UN Charter. Jewish militias launched attacks against Palestinian villages, forcing thousands to flee.

"The situation escalated into a full-blown war in 1948, with the end of the British Mandate and the departure of British forces, the declaration of independence of the State of Israel and the entry of neighbouring Arab armies. The newly established Israeli forces launched a major offensive. The result of the war was the permanent displacement of more than half of the Palestinian population.

"As early as December 1948, the UN General Assembly called for refugee return, property restitution and compensation (resolution 194 (II)).  However, 75 years later, despite countless UN resolutions, the rights of the Palestinians continue to be denied. According to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) more than 5 million Palestine refugees are scattered throughout the Middle East. Today, Palestinians continue to be dispossessed and displaced by Israeli settlements, evictions, land confiscation and home demolitions."