1st Edition 2020 | Page 130

Israel continues to imprison millions of Palestinian behind the walls in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and keep the Palestinian minority within its borders under an apartheid regime. This scenario has been happening for almost seven decades since the 1948 war. The independence day of Israel on the 14th of May is the day filled with sorrow and painful memories of an event that has changed the lives of Palestinians. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and their villages were destroyed and depopulated as Israel expanded its empire. The Palestinians will only remember the day as NAKBA, an Arabic term for catastrophe as Israel declared itself as a state. Over 7 million Palestinians are scattered around the world. They live in camps in Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon but some of them are living outside of the refugee camps in other countries such as the United Kingdom. Israel’s failure to respect the right to return for Palestinians is wrong and it is stated in the flagrant violation of international law. It has been more than 70 years since the conflict happened, Palestinians are still being left behind. Israel continues to not abide by the international law and implement the United Nation resolution 194 of 1948 which stated the rightful return of Palestinians to their home and the state continues to do everything in their power to avoid this from happening. Pappe stated that the ethnic cleansing of Palestine was very well planned and executed by the Zionist leader and Israel also claims that there is a new reality today that the ownership rights of Palestinian refugees to their home and land have disappeared over 70 years ago. 80 percent of the land previously owned by the Palestinian refugees before they were ethnically cleansed is either empty or very low in population density since the majority of Israeli population have already dominated the large cities and build a big population there. Israel claimed that Palestine was a land without people. It is quite possible possible to return the Palestinian refugees to their homeland. However, the memories of Nakba are still fresh in their minds making it impossible for them to return. The Jews have bombarded the villages, burned and destroyed its residential areas, and boobytrapped their homes to force people out and prevent their return. In the words of Pappe, it was a crime against humanity. Ilan Pappe stated that the Palestinian are totally disconnected from reality as this society was not ready for all of the atrocities that have befallen them. Rearranging the current relationship between Palestinians and Israel Jews on the basis of justice is one of the ways to resolve this issue without involving genocide. Israel has already placed a law that allows Jews to colonize its territory. United Nations (UN) is the only source that supports Palestinian refugees to a right of return. They should be paid for the loss of property and damage, under principles of inequity, and the governments should make a good authority to the society. The Palestinians will continue to struggle for their rights and freedom until the odds are in their favour. They want to establish equality by ending justice and getting peace for all. They are not alone. Those who believe in humanity are always behind them. One can never imagine the pain of losing your home country. Seeing your rights as a citizen and as a human, being stripped away is not a pretty sight to see and a good feeling to feel. The fight for freedom and basic human rights has been going on for decades. How much longer will the Palestinian have to suffer? It is time for countries all over the world to step up and help end this inhumane treatment faced by Palestinian refugees. Together, we may stand a better chance of stopping the barbaric acts of the Zionist. SASARAN EDISI 82 130