At the 76th Anniversary of the Nakba, We Honor Our History of Resilience Dear Email, May 15th, 2024 - On this day, Palestinians mark the Nakba, or “Catastrophe,” of 1948 with clear reminders that the Nakba is still ongoing, or mustamirra. The genocide that Israel is committing now in Gaza is a manifestation of the ongoing Palestinian Nakba. Today, we see the Israeli state continuing the crime of ethnic cleansing with land grabs in Jerusalem and the West Bank, and with daily attacks on Palestinians across Palestine. As American Muslims for Palestine, we recognize that this colonial project is bolstered by the United States, which ignores the fascism of Zionist apartheid and reinforces Israel’s weaponization of religion to rationalize the war crimes we see in Palestine.
On Nakba Day, we remember that this is not new. Israel was established by means of brutal massacres that were documented even by Israeli historians (Deir Yassin, Kafr Qasim, Tantura, etc.), through ethnic cleansing, and an attempt to erase Palestinians both from their land and global collective memory. Israel destroyed hundreds of Palestinian villages and changed the names of other cities and villages to similar, Hebrew names. Israel’s policy of denying self-determination to Palestinians in the West Bank is understood as an occupation; but in fact, this denial of self-determination over natural, cultural, and economic resources and repression of Palestinians’ individual rights are part of daily life wherever you go in Palestine. 
The United States and other Western countries have supported Zionist claims and crimes at the expense of the indigenous people of Palestine. The U.S. has also provided cover for Israel's crimes in international forums, such as the UN Security Council, and provided it with the weapons it has used, and still uses, to oppress the Palestinian people, displace them, and steal their land.
But the Palestinian people, over more than a hundred years, have proven that they are a people that can’t be abolished and uprooted. Palestinian steadfastness and determination have always been a source of inspiration for many national liberation movements. Today, Gaza embodies another symbol of the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and their adherence to their rights, freedom, and dignity—despite the brutality of the genocide committed by Israel against them.
The international community faces a pivotal moment today to correct the historical wrong committed against the Palestinian people. The United States is facing the same pivotal historical moment. The public deception involved in portraying Israel as a perpetual victim no longer deceives younger Americans. Opinion polls prove this and confirm that “Israel’s exceptionalism” is an illusion—and is morally and politically wrong. Israel is an apartheid and genocidal state and must be treated as a rogue state. Elected officials must realize that Americans and the world no longer accept unlimited and unconditional complicity in Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people. At the 76th anniversary of the Nakba during the ongoing Nakba in Gaza, we are more determined than ever to dismantle this colonial oppression through our advocacy. We have steadfastness for what it takes to live freely. Throughout the week, AMP has launched a special educational video series titled “Nakba76: Gaza in Context.” This series highlights key elements of Israel’s brutality vis-a-vis Gaza and its besieged residents, which grounds the current genocide in its proper context. In solidarity,
American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) ---------------------------------- P.S. Be sure to tune into our social media for the series and stay updated on #Nakba76 actions, events, and marches taking place all over the nation! Find actions to take in this toolkit. Washington, DC:
May 18th @ 1 PM, #Nakba76 March, The National Mall Connecticut:
May 15th @ 5:30 PM, Nakba76 Commemoration, CT State Capitol, Hartford, CT
May 16th @ 6 PM, Film Screening: 1948 Creation & Catastrophe, Trinity College New Jersey:
May 16th @ 10 AM, NJ Divest Campaign Launch: Press Conference & Rally, NJ Statehouse Capitol Building Minnesota:
May 15th @ 5:30 PM, March for Al-Nakba, Senator Klobuchar’s Office
May 16th, Gov. Walz Call-In Campaign
May 17th @ 4 PM, Vigil for Palestine, Minneapolis, MN
May 18th @ 7 PM, Poetry Night for Palestine, Open Book Performance Hall, Minneapolis, MN Ohio:
May 15th @ 6 PM, Nakba March, Dixie Hwy & Levis Commins, Toledo, OH
May 16th @ 6 PM, The Nkaba Continues w/ Khalid Turaani, Holland, OH
May 17th @ 3:30 PM, Jum’aa Prayer & March, Toledo, OH Richmond, VA:
May 15th @ 12 PM, All Day Action: Decorate the City, Scuffletown
May 15th @ 6 PM, All Day Action: Nakba Awareness Screening & Discussion, Sefton Coffee |
