The Nakba of 1948: Why were the Palestinians expelled from their land?

In 1948, Palestinians faced a pivotal moment in history, as they lost their homeland and were forced into exile while the state of Israel was established. Known as the Nakba, this event has shaped the Israel-Palestine conflict for decades.

Why were the Palestinians expelled from their land?

On November 29, 1947, the United Nations passed a resolution to partition Palestine into two states, one for the Jews and one for the Palestinians.

The plan allocated 56% of the land to the Jews, 43% to the Palestinians, and 1% to Jerusalem. This decision was met with resistance from the Arab states, leading to their intervention in the region.

The Arab League sent forces from Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia to Palestine to oppose the UN partition plan and to expel Jewish militias.

The conflict officially began with the declaration of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948, following the end of the British Mandate on May 15, 1948.

Before these forces took action, the Jewish Council had already declared the existence of the State of Israel in the middle of the night on May 14. The Arab armies only engaged in the conflict on May 15, 1948, after the British withdrawal and international pressure.

The war of 1948 concluded with the defeat of the Arab states on January 7, 1949, resulting in the loss of thousands of lives on both sides.

Palestinian refugees fled their homes, with over 750,000 Palestinians forcibly displaced from their land. More than 500 villages, towns, and cities were destroyed, reshaping the geography of the region and replacing Arabic names with Hebrew ones.

Suhaila Mahmoud, who left her hometown of Al-Khalisa, which is now known as Qiryat Shemona in Israel, in 1948, carried with her the keys to her family's home, hoping to return within days.

However, the days turned into years and decades, and the holders of these keys still hold on to them, clinging to the dream of returning.

In a retirement home in Shatila camp, elderly Palestinians, especially those known as "Arab 48," gather daily to reminisce about Palestine and the challenging days after the Nakba.

Visitors to the retirement home, all Arab 48, continue to hold onto the hope of returning to Palestine. For those who have passed away, they left behind a message: "Do not lose the keys to Palestine, for the return is inevitable."