Palestinian territories: Nakba commemorations amid tensions

Nakba commemorations by Israeli Arabs at the ruins of Al Hadatheh village in northern Israel.

(Illustrative image) RFI / Murielle Paradon

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

This Sunday, Palestinians commemorate the 74th anniversary of the Nakba, "the catastrophe" in Arabic, which marks the forced displacement of more than 750,000 Palestinians in 1948 when the State of Israel was created.

This sad anniversary reopens the wounds of the past and this year, this day of memory takes place in a particular context following the death of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

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With our correspondent in Jerusalem

,

Alice Froussard

It is a special date

for all Palestinians.

As every year, in Ramallah, sirens are sounded, black flags are out, hoisted in the four corners of the city and young people, but also the oldest or families gather in the street to demonstrate and remember -together- of that date, May 15, that of the forced expulsion of more than 750,000 Palestinians during the creation of the State of Israel in 1948.

A few days after the death of Shireen Abu Akleh, a famous Al Jazeera journalist, shot in the head while reporting in Jenin.

The Palestinians are still in mourning, especially frightened by the violence of the Israeli police

during his funeral in Jerusalem

, this Friday.

They speak of a " 

heinous crime

 ", of a " 

cold-blooded murder

 ", claiming that Shireen Abu Akleh was killed a second time that day.

For its part, Hamas, in power in the Gaza Strip, calls on the Palestinians of Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, those who can, to " 

go en masse to the esplanade of the Mosques

 " on this dark day.

According to local media reports, Jewish extremists would be allowed to enter the esplanade on the same day, and potentially make sacrifices there.

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  • Palestinian territories

  • Israel