Naksa Day
Encyclopedia
Naksa Day is the annual day of commemoration for the Palestinian people
of the displacement that accompanied Israel's victory in the 1967 Six-Day War
. As a result of the war, Israel took control of the Palestinian-populated West Bank
and Gaza Strip
, which were previously annexed by Jordan
and controlled by Egypt
, respectively.
The first displacement, known as the Nakba, took place during and after the 1948 Palestine war
. It is marked annually on Nakba Day
on May 15.
on May 15 in which violence ensued resulting in 15 Palestinian deaths during border clashes as well as an Israeli death in Tel Aviv
, activists organized further demonstrations for Naksa Day on June 5, 2011.
While Lebanon
banned activists from approaching the border, Palestinian demonstrators once again rushed the Syria
n border with Israel near Quneitra
and Majdal Shams
. Earlier that morning, Palestinians from the suburbs of Damascus
were reportedly bused into the area and massed the border without interference from Syrian troops.
Despite warnings from the IDF
not to cross the frontier into Israel, the activists ignored their calls and crossed the Syrian border fence. According to the IDF, when the demonstrators did not stop, Israeli forces shot at their lower bodies. While the IDF reported 12 known injuries, Syrian television claimed 23 activists were killed and 350 wounded.
An Israeli official stated that it was clear that the Syrian government "gave the green light for the protesters to move toward the border, and contrasted this with the situation on Sunday in Lebanon, where the border was quiet." He said the clashes served as a means for the Syrian government to distract from its own domestic problems, namely the 2011 Syrian uprising
. In response the US State Department said that it was "troubled" by the loss of life, but Israel has the right to defend its sovereign borders. Israel has not legally defined its sovereign borders.
The Syrian Reform Party, a U.S.-based party which opposes the Syrian government, issued a statement, that Syrian protesters were hired to risk their lives in the frontline by giving them about 1000 dollars, being killed even given 10000 dollars for the family left behind, which is in Syria a quite big property. It also stated, that the Syrian regime tried to deflect attention from its own brutal crackdown in the range of the Syrian uprising.
Also a Syrian-State-owned newspaper published an article warning Israel that 600,000 Syrian refugees march "to their villages and fields, from which they were removed by the occupation of the Golan Heights.".
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
of the displacement that accompanied Israel's victory in the 1967 Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
. As a result of the war, Israel took control of the Palestinian-populated West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
and Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
, which were previously annexed by Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
and controlled by Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, respectively.
The first displacement, known as the Nakba, took place during and after the 1948 Palestine war
1948 Palestine war
The 1948 Palestine war refers to the events in the British Mandate of Palestine between the United Nations vote on the partition plan on November 30, 1947, to the end of the first Arab-Israeli war on July 20, 1949.The war is divided into two phases:...
. It is marked annually on Nakba Day
Nakba Day
Nakba Day is generally commemorated on May 15, the day after the Gregorian calendar date for Israeli independence day...
on May 15.
2011 Naksa Day demonstrations
Following the 2011 Nakba Day demonstrations2011 Nakba Day
Nakba Day in 2011 was the annual day of commemoration for the Palestinian people marking the Nakba - the displacement that accompanied the creation of Israel in 1948. Generally held on May 15, commemorative events in 2011 began on May 10, in the form of march by Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
on May 15 in which violence ensued resulting in 15 Palestinian deaths during border clashes as well as an Israeli death in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, activists organized further demonstrations for Naksa Day on June 5, 2011.
While Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
banned activists from approaching the border, Palestinian demonstrators once again rushed the Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n border with Israel near Quneitra
Quneitra
Quneitra is the largely destroyed and abandoned capital of the Quneitra Governorate in south-western Syria. It is situated in a high valley in the Golan Heights at an elevation of 1,010 metres above sea level...
and Majdal Shams
Majdal Shams
Majdal Shams is a Druze village in the northern part of the Golan Heights, in the southern foothills of Mt. Hermon. Since the June 1967 Six-Day War, the village has been controlled by Israel, first under martial law, but since 1981 under Israeli civil law, and incorporated into the Israeli...
. Earlier that morning, Palestinians from the suburbs of Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
were reportedly bused into the area and massed the border without interference from Syrian troops.
Despite warnings from the IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
not to cross the frontier into Israel, the activists ignored their calls and crossed the Syrian border fence. According to the IDF, when the demonstrators did not stop, Israeli forces shot at their lower bodies. While the IDF reported 12 known injuries, Syrian television claimed 23 activists were killed and 350 wounded.
An Israeli official stated that it was clear that the Syrian government "gave the green light for the protesters to move toward the border, and contrasted this with the situation on Sunday in Lebanon, where the border was quiet." He said the clashes served as a means for the Syrian government to distract from its own domestic problems, namely the 2011 Syrian uprising
2011 Syrian uprising
The 2011 Syrian uprising is an ongoing internal conflict occurring in Syria. Protests started on 26 January 2011, and escalated into an uprising by 15 March 2011...
. In response the US State Department said that it was "troubled" by the loss of life, but Israel has the right to defend its sovereign borders. Israel has not legally defined its sovereign borders.
The Syrian Reform Party, a U.S.-based party which opposes the Syrian government, issued a statement, that Syrian protesters were hired to risk their lives in the frontline by giving them about 1000 dollars, being killed even given 10000 dollars for the family left behind, which is in Syria a quite big property. It also stated, that the Syrian regime tried to deflect attention from its own brutal crackdown in the range of the Syrian uprising.
Also a Syrian-State-owned newspaper published an article warning Israel that 600,000 Syrian refugees march "to their villages and fields, from which they were removed by the occupation of the Golan Heights.".
See also
- Palestinian expulsion from Kuwait
- Jewish Nakba