To mark the 71st anniversary of the Nakba, on May 15, Zochrot organizes, on Saturday May 18, a Memory, Recognition and Return event in the city of Yaffa (Jaffa). The event includes a one-hour boat ride in the Jaffa port, symbolizing the moments of Palestinians’ deportation from the city, calling for realizing the return of refugees and inviting participants to imagine actual return. After disembarking, we will go on a walking tour from the port to Al-Manshiyya neighborhood, stopping at several stations to talk about the time and place, on past and future, on Nakba and Return.
In mid - May, 1948, the occupation of Jaffa by the Jewish militias was completed. Only some 4,000 Palestinians out of more than 120,000 residents of the Jaffa District remained in the city. They were concentrated in Ajami neighborhood, surrounded by barbed wire, and for about two years forced to live in what became known as the Ajami Ghetto. Most of the other Palestinians in Jaffa were forced by fear of indiscriminate bombing to flee to the sea, and take whatever boat they could find to seek refuge in an unknown destination. The forces that pushed them to the see are the same ones that still prevent their return.
Established in 1879, al-Manshiyya neighborhood was occupied together with the rest of Jaffa and almost all of its inhabitants became refugees. Almost completely raised to the ground, it has been replaced by the Charles Clore seaside park, a section of the Tel Aviv promenade, hotels, residential and business complexes, as well as tourism and leisure areas. One of the only structures that survived the catastrophe – the distinct landmark of the neighborhood – is the Hassan Bek Mosque.
These days, not far from the mosque, in the park where the Palestinian houses bulldozed by the municipality are buried, a “tourist village” has been built for the pleasure of Eurovision fans. Note that the event itself is held in the Yarkon Park on the lands of al-Shaykh Muwannis – another Palestinian community depopulated and destroyed 71 years ago.
Zochrot invites you to take part in this important event, designed to commemorate the Nakba and call upon the Israeli public to take responsibility and correct the wrongs perpetrated by the State of Israel and the Zionist movement against the Palestinian people.
Please register in advance at umar@zochrot.org
Cost: 30 NIS per person
Instruction will be in Hebrew with English and Arabic translation provided as required.
Meeting point: Jaffa Port, Pier No. ???, Sababa boat
Embarkation: 9:00
Walking tour: 10:30-12:30
The tour will end near the “tourist village” in Charles Clore Park
The 2 km walk is easy.
For more details: Umar al-Ghubari 0528743099
