What Was Al-Nakba?

Supplementary Content by Mawqif

Al-Nakba, meaning “the catastrophe” in Arabic, refers to the mass displacement and loss of land experienced by Palestinians during the 1948 Arab–Israeli war that accompanied the creation of the State of Israel. Between 1947 and 1949, approximately 700,000 Palestinians—about half of the Arab population of Mandatory Palestine—fled or were expelled from their homes during the conflict. Many towns and villages were depopulated, and large numbers of civilians moved to neighboring areas such as the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. 


The displacement occurred during a period of intense political change in the region. In 1947, the United Nations proposed a plan to divide British-controlled Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states. Jewish leadership accepted the plan, while many Arab leaders rejected it, leading to civil conflict between communities. After Britain withdrew in 1948 and Israel declared independence, neighboring Arab states entered the war, expanding the conflict and contributing to large-scale population movements. During the fighting, numerous Palestinian villages were destroyed or depopulated, and many civilians left their homes due to warfare, fear of violence, or forced removal. 


The consequences of Al-Nakba have continued for decades. The displaced population became known as Palestinian refugees, defined by the United Nations as people whose normal residence was Palestine before 1948 and who lost their homes and livelihoods during the conflict. Many refugees and their descendants still live in camps or communities across the Middle East, and today millions remain registered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which was established in 1949 to provide assistance and services to Palestinian refugees. 


For Palestinians, Al-Nakba is remembered each year on May 15, known as Nakba Day. The date commemorates the displacement of communities and the loss of homes, land, and villages during the events surrounding the 1948 war. The refugee issue, including questions about return, compensation, and political resolution, remains one of the central and most debated aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 


 


Bibliography



  • “About the Nakba.” United Nations Question of Palestine, United Nations. https://www.un.org/unispal/about-the-nakba/

  • “Nakba.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakba 

  • “1948 Palestinian Expulsion and Flight.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_Palestinian_expulsion_and_flight 

  • “Palestine Refugees.” United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). https://www.unrwa.org/palestine-refugees 

  • “Quick Facts: The Palestinian Nakba (Catastrophe).” Institute for Middle East Understanding. https://imeu.org/resources/resources/quick-facts-the-palestinian-nakba-catastrophe/142 

  • Citino, Nathan, Ana Martín Gil, and Kelsey P. Norman. “Generations of Palestinian Refugees Face Protracted Displacement and Dispossession.” Migration Policy Institute, 3 May 2023. https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/palestinian-refugees-dispossession