Nakba Celebration Is about the ‘Right of Return’

In anticipation of tomorrow’s official Nakba Day – May 15, 2011, commemorating the 63^rd anniversary of the creation of the State of Israel – the IDF, the PA, and security forces in Jordan and Egypt are taking precautionary tactics to avoid violent sparks during the protests and marches which have been promoted as non-violent.

However, on Friday, May 13, 2011, the beginning of these Nakba demonstrations was marked by clashes in East Jerusalem – Silwan, Isawiya and the Old City areas – resulting in one fatality, allegedly shot by a Silwan security guard, 20 people wounded, and eleven arrests of protestors throwing rocks. Tear gas was used to disperse the rioters.  

The IDF has deployed seven extra battalions across the West Bank to be ready for any aggression and has given notice that they will close borders in Judea and Samaria along with the West Bank Crossings, for 24 hrs. The commanders of the Palestinian security forces are trying to allay the fears that Israel is experiencing by aiming to contain the demonstrations within the Palestinian cities to avoid contact with IDF. Jordanian Security forces are preparing to stop demonstrators headed for their side of the Allenby land crossing and Egyptian forces preparing for the Rafah crossing.

In recognition of this event, Abbas and the Fatah leadership issued this statement: “The right of return will remain sacred for every Palestinian who was forced by the Zionist war machine to leave his or her home and land in Palestine…The Palestinians won’t succumb to extortion; either we get the home and land peacefully, or we will make sacrifices until we return.” Abbas also stressed that the Palestinians would not accept a Palestinian state that did not include Jerusalem as its capital.

Hearing these remarks, especially in light of the new ‘unity agreement’ with Hamas, one can understand why Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have gone nowhere over the past decades. The ‘right of return’ has always been at the heart of the issue preventing any signature on a peace agreement with Israel. If Israel agreed to this, Arabs would be expected to return in huge numbers and dominate the Jewish state, eventually eliminating it one way or another, which is just what the Arab world collectively wants. And with their newly formed accord, both Fatah and Hamas are determined to force their hand in the United Nations by calling for the creation of a Palestinian state in September.