The Palestinian Nakba directly translates too “catastrophe” in English and it refers to the period of time dating 1947 to 1949 in Palestinian history where the mass displacement of Palestinians took place, which included expulsions from their homelands with an approximate number of 750,000 Palestinians completely removed from Palestine.

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While it may seem apparent that the Palestinian crisis is fairly recent, the reality is far more engraved in the roots of history. This endeavor has been set out for over a decade. Let’s go back in time and trace the rise of the Zionist movement to the creation of what we know now as Israel. The term zionism was coined in the late 19th century by the Jewish Austrian political activist, Theodor Herzl. Herzl is widely referred to as the father of Zionism who sought out this term as a form of solution to the “Jewish Question.” Herzl believed that the jews were facing oppression in Europe and the Soviet Union. His solution to the problem was perfectly represented by Zionism. Zionism is a term that refers to the jewish movement that sought the creation of Jewish based-state in their ancestral land nearing the hills of Zion in what was then Falestine. Herzl extended his efforts by publishing the The Jewish State pamphlet in 1896, and organizing a corresponding Congress of Zionists in 1897.

The movement continued well into the early 20th century. One of the pivotal events that contributed in further mobilizing the Nakba was the Balfour Declaration. The declaration was a statement issued by the British government showcasing their support for finding a solution for the “Jewish Question.” By the 1920s through 30s, the British Mandate of Palestine was well established. And during Britain’s time in Palestine, they stuck to their declaration promises and facilitated the migration of Jews into Palestine.

While the British support initially seemed unwavering, a shift in dynamic took place as the next monumental event that changed the course of the Israeli-Palestinian relationship took place. By the 1940s, Britain had already suffered majorly through the world wars, and as a result saw a decline in their international power and having diplomatic ties with the Arabs and the U.S. was important for their post-war strategy. The only way out of this dilemma was to refer the Palestinian case to the U.N. and later withdraw British forces from the region.

In 1947, the U.N. passed the 181 resolution which introduced the partition of the state into a Palestinian and Jewish half. The two proposals the U.N. provided as a part of the 181 resolution included the Plan of Partition Union where each state enjoyed political independence but had a joined economy. The other proposal was the Federal State Solution where Palestine would become a single binational state with autonomous areas for Jews and Arabs. While the Arabs refuted both proposals, the partition resolution passed by 33 votes and more than 50% of the state was allotted to the Jews.

Shortly after the passing of the resolution in late 1947, the first wave of the Arab-Israeli conflict broke out. From then until the last British soldier exited the region, Jewish militia set out only military conquests. These conquests included war propaganda, economic sanctions, and forcefully seizing territories. The wave lasted until the last of the British soldiers departed the region, and upon their departure the jews declared the independent state of Israel on May 14, 1948. The time following that can be referred to as the second wave of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

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We find that the accumulation of events that took place from 47-49 completely reformed the regional dynamic between the present Palestinians and jews. The Arab-Israeli War concluded in the overall expulsion of more than 750,000 Palestinians from their homeland creating a refugee crisis. It also included the regional displacement of Palestinian Arabs, and the aftermath of constructive ethnic cleansing resulted in the demolishment of over 400 towns and mass depopulation of cities.

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The Nakba therefore is regarded as a critical period in Palestinian history that still shapes the course of their lives and the regional socio-political dynamic until today. Truly comprehending the actuality and depths of the despair suffered by the Palestinian party is integral to properly shape your actions in response to the current political situation.