The 1948 Palestinian Nakba: Origins and Effects on Refugees
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Authors
Bahou, Natalie
Date of Issue
2024
Type
Presentation
Language
en_US
Subject Keywords
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Abstract
In 1948, when the state of Israel was created, thousands of Palestinians were forced to flee their homeland. Called the Nakba, which means catastrophe, this event changed around seven hundred thousand people’s lives. Some stayed in what would later become the Palestinian territories. Many fled to other countries - some neighboring Arab countries, others went to America. As the Arab-Israeli conflict deepened over the next seventy years, Palestinians would continue to be affected, for example with events in 1967.
My paper examines what happened to the refugees of the 1948 Nakba. Where did they go? How were they affected by this tragic event? How did they rebuild their lives? Psychologically, how did that impact them for the rest of their lives? Where are their descendants now? Sources include recent academic and highly-researched books and articles, as well as older articles that shine a light on what the refugees have experienced. This research project provides future readers and my HI 241 audience a better understanding of the 1948 crisis in terms of what happened to the thousands of refugees whose lives were so totally upended. Their legacy continues - there are around six million descendants of theirs today whose lives were also impacted by what happened in 1948. Understanding the Nakba and its repercussions on ordinary Palestinians is crucial to understanding the roots of the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as well as understanding how humanity has to act and adapt in such tragic circumstances. As this topic sheds so much light on human nature, this context is crucial for forming a well-informed and nuanced point of view – and one that strives to find hope in every dark place.
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