The Palestinian "Nakba" is coming to Israel's city streets: At the initiative of a few left-wing organizations, signs will be posted in streets of a few Israeli cities, including Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa, calling on Israelis to recognize the "Nakba," what Palestinians see as the tragedy that befell them with the founding of the state. In addition, the activists have held a number of street events in major cities in Israel to commemorate Palestinian "Nakba Day" which is tomorrow.
The signs and the activities to mark 59 years since the "Nakba" have been prepared by the left-wing organizations "Zochrot," "Bat Shalom," and "New Profile." The signs, some of which are posted on message boards in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa and Ramat Hasharon, read: "Tzabar – until '48 there was a village here. This year we will hold events to remember and remind others of what was beside and underneath our home until '48, without the intention of packing our suitcases, of pointing fingers, or of throwing anyone to the sea. We will tell what was really here in '48."
One of the left-wing activists, Lotan Raz, told Ma'ariv NRG that the sign posting in Jerusalem did not pass without incident. According to Lotan, some of the signs, which were posted in central places such as the Central Bus Station, were torn down by unknown individuals. "There is an effort to silence this more and more," said Raz. "It is an effort to continue to deny the important part of our history which is the Palestinian 'Nakba.'"
In addition to posting signs the activists screened films across the country. During the events photographs and testimonies on the subject of the "Nakba" were screened in central city locations and fliers were distributed to passersby.
"So that the public will not forget the tragedy"
Eitan Bronstein of "Zochrot," which is holding the event in Tel Aviv, told Ma'ariv NRG: "We are asking that 'Nakba' day, which is tomorrow, be observed, and that the Israeli public not forget the tragedy of the Palestinian people at whose expense the state of Israel was founded, and we seek to show and remind others of this destruction and of its remains, which exist in every place in the country, including in our large cities."
Bronstein added: "We are using this opportunity to remind others that until the right of return of the Palestinian refugees is recognized, there can be no real peace." Lotan Raz told Ma'ariv NRG that in Jerusalem and Mevasseret Zion, city inspectors came to prevent and disrupt the activity.
Some talkbacks in response to the article:
2. What kind of insanity brings a person to wish for his own death, together with the death of the rest of the citizens of the state? What kind of insanity causes a person to cooperate knowingly with those who wish him dead? Erez
16. I have a proposal, you know, as long as we're on a roll. Let's also have a demonstration in memory of the Nazi casualties and defeat in WWII – without packing our suitcases or pointing fingers, just for the heck of it – to commemorate their pain. Later, we will have a demonstration in memory of the plagues suffered by poor Pharaoh in Egypt. Without packing our suitcases or pointing fingers, just for the heck of it – to commemorate his pain. I have many more ideas, I call on all left-wing activists to come by my place and take all my suggestions, after they land from the space ship they live on!... Yuval, On This Planet
23. In order to understand who and what we are we must recognize our past, both its good and bad sides. Serious
24. I call on you to go out and disrupt the traitorous activities. I am not a contentious person or someone who supports violence, but this time (in the framework of the law, of course) I call on all those who consider themselves Israelis to go out and sabotage this insane initiative. You don't understand, they are bringing the next Holocaust on us. The initiators of the event should be expelled from their homes for two reasons: First – they are traitors to the state. Second – their homes, too, sit on what was Arab land in the past. Barak
26. When will these traitors be put to death? No Other Solution
122. They're right. The time has come for us to start dealing with the occupation of 48. It's true. The headquarters of Ha'aretz newspaper sits on the remains of an Arab village. Tel Aviv University on the remains of Sheikh Muwannis. Northern Tel Aviv on the remains of Summayl. The slope of Jaffa and Givat Andromeda needs no mention. But there are tens of kibbutzim and moshavim that were founded on Arab lands that were occupied in 48. It's good that they remind us of this. Maybe all of us, left and right, will start dealing equally with the occupation of 67 like the occupation of 48. We will stop talking about returning territories and instead will offer them financial compensation for lands and property they left in 48 (let's assume at the orders of the Arab High Council) and which we have been using since them. Yosh
