MAY 15, 20239:16 AM ET
By Emma Bowman and Daniel Estrin
Palestinians participate in rally marking last year’s anniversary of what the Palestinians call the “Nakba,” or “catastrophe” referring to their uprooting in the war over Israel’s 1948 creation, in front of the UNESCO offices in Gaza City.Adel Hana/AP
For the first time in history, the United Nations is officially commemorating the Nakba, the annual Palestinian commemoration of their mass displacement during the establishment of Israel.
The international body is marking the 75th anniversary of the displacement on Monday to “serve as a reminder of the historic injustice suffered by the Palestinian people” and to spotlight the ongoing refugee crisis, organizers said.
For decades, the Nakba had not garnered universal international recognition, as countering narratives have downplayed the plight of Palestinians. Resistance remains: The United States, Canada and the United Kingdom were among 30 countries that voted against the U.N. resolution to adopt this year’s commemoration.
