Palestinian protests held in London to mark 70 years of Nakba
Sarah
Glubb, Arab News, May 11, 2018
Hundreds
of protesters gathered in London on Friday and all over the United Kingdom to
express solidarity with Palestine as they mark 70 years of “Nakba.”
of protesters gathered in London on Friday and all over the United Kingdom to
express solidarity with Palestine as they mark 70 years of “Nakba.”
 |
| Protesters gather outside the Embassy of Israel in central London to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the “Day of Nakba” or “catastrophe” and to mark the “Great March of Return” in solidarity with the Palestinian people. (AN Photo: Sarah Glubb) |
LONDON: “Nakba
is a process of ethnic cleansing that took place between 1947 and 1949 where
750,000 Palestinians were expelled and over 500 Palestinian villages and towns
wiped off the face of the Earth,” explained Ben Jamal, Chairman of Palestinian
Solidarity Campaign (PSC).
This year,
the annual demonstration was entitled “Stand up for Gaza – Stop the Killing”
and it was held on Friday opposite the Israeli embassy to coincide with the
“Great March of Return,” calling for justice, equality and the implementation
of the right of return.
the annual demonstration was entitled “Stand up for Gaza – Stop the Killing”
and it was held on Friday opposite the Israeli embassy to coincide with the
“Great March of Return,” calling for justice, equality and the implementation
of the right of return.
Referring
to the tragedy in Gaza, Jamal described it as a continuing nakba, saying: “Our
message to Israel today is the Palestinian people will not give up their
existence and until they enjoy freedom, justice and equality for their homeland
we will not stop acting in solidarity with them and campaigning here in the UK
until they achieve those goals.”
to the tragedy in Gaza, Jamal described it as a continuing nakba, saying: “Our
message to Israel today is the Palestinian people will not give up their
existence and until they enjoy freedom, justice and equality for their homeland
we will not stop acting in solidarity with them and campaigning here in the UK
until they achieve those goals.”
Palestinian
Ambassador to the UK, Manuel Hassassian, also shared similar thoughts saying
the Nakba is “not something in the past, the Nakba is the present and the
future. As long as Israel occupies our territories the Nakba will continue.”
Ambassador to the UK, Manuel Hassassian, also shared similar thoughts saying
the Nakba is “not something in the past, the Nakba is the present and the
future. As long as Israel occupies our territories the Nakba will continue.”
The
“Great March of Return” entered its sixth week in Gaza on Friday as
demonstrations reach their climax.
Israeli army fire killed 45 Palestinian protesters and wounded more than 2,000
since the weekly protests led by Gaza’s ruling group Hamas began in late March.
Save the Children said more than 250 children had been shot with live
ammunition by the Israeli army during the six previous Friday demonstrations.
“Great March of Return” entered its sixth week in Gaza on Friday as
demonstrations reach their climax.
Israeli army fire killed 45 Palestinian protesters and wounded more than 2,000
since the weekly protests led by Gaza’s ruling group Hamas began in late March.
Save the Children said more than 250 children had been shot with live
ammunition by the Israeli army during the six previous Friday demonstrations.
“It is
time for the international community, big powers, the EU, to do something to
stop the carnage that Israel is inflicting upon innocent Palestinians. We want
peace, we want to end this violence and have our independent state and live
side by side democratically with Israel and our Arab neighbors,” said the
Ambassador Hassassian.
time for the international community, big powers, the EU, to do something to
stop the carnage that Israel is inflicting upon innocent Palestinians. We want
peace, we want to end this violence and have our independent state and live
side by side democratically with Israel and our Arab neighbors,” said the
Ambassador Hassassian.
This
year’s commemoration also coincides with US President Donald Trump’s
controversial decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and relocate
the US embassy, which is due to be inaugurated on Monday.
year’s commemoration also coincides with US President Donald Trump’s
controversial decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and relocate
the US embassy, which is due to be inaugurated on Monday.
Ziad
Elaloul, Spokesperson for the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad said
Trump’s decision to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on the 14th of
May is meant to challenge the international community which already rejected
the decision.
Elaloul, Spokesperson for the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad said
Trump’s decision to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on the 14th of
May is meant to challenge the international community which already rejected
the decision.
He also
said “this is a message to Palestinians and Arab as well that he is punishing
us and he doesn’t care about our suffering,” adding that they have identified
over 140 events throughout the world over the next 3 days that are memorializing
the day of Nakba and refusal over Trump’s decision.
said “this is a message to Palestinians and Arab as well that he is punishing
us and he doesn’t care about our suffering,” adding that they have identified
over 140 events throughout the world over the next 3 days that are memorializing
the day of Nakba and refusal over Trump’s decision.
Shamiul
Joarder, Head of Public Affairs at Friends of Al Aqsa (FOA) noted the important
significance of this day, which is something that is traditionally marked in
the UK and throughout the world in solidarity with the Palestinians. He added:
“As the years go on and the occupation entrenches itself we are here to stand
shoulder to shoulder with the Palestinians until Palestine is free.”
Joarder, Head of Public Affairs at Friends of Al Aqsa (FOA) noted the important
significance of this day, which is something that is traditionally marked in
the UK and throughout the world in solidarity with the Palestinians. He added:
“As the years go on and the occupation entrenches itself we are here to stand
shoulder to shoulder with the Palestinians until Palestine is free.”
Nakba,
meaning “catastrophe” or “disaster,” refers to the 1948 Palestinian exodus,
which occurred when more than 700,000 Palestinian Arabs were expelled or
displaced from their homes and 78 percent of the land was taken over, during
the 1948 Palestine war.
meaning “catastrophe” or “disaster,” refers to the 1948 Palestinian exodus,
which occurred when more than 700,000 Palestinian Arabs were expelled or
displaced from their homes and 78 percent of the land was taken over, during
the 1948 Palestine war.
The demo
was organized by Palestine Solidarity Campaign, in cooperation with Friends of
Al-Aqsa and Palestinian Forum in Britain and with the support of the Muslim
Association of Britain, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Stop the War
Coalition, EuroPal Forum.
was organized by Palestine Solidarity Campaign, in cooperation with Friends of
Al-Aqsa and Palestinian Forum in Britain and with the support of the Muslim
Association of Britain, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Stop the War
Coalition, EuroPal Forum.
