The Palestinian people have a rich history and ancient links to the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. Every year on the 15th of May, Palestinians around the world mark the ‘Nakba’, or ‘Catastrophe’, referring to the ethnic cleansing that occurred in 1948 and resulted in the loss of the Palestinian homeland.
As a result of these traumatic events, 80% of the Palestinians were made refugees and the remaining 20% became internally displaced people in their own land.
The Nakba events are rooted in political Zionism, a Jewish European settler colonial movement that sought to establish a home in Palestine for Jewish people. The Jewish migration and settlement in Palestine began in 1882.
Palestinian solidarity groups across Australia, including in Adelaide, are holding a national day of commemoration on Saturday 13 May 2023.