Nakba Day in London

by New Worker  correspondent

SCORES of people gathered in Whitehall on Friday 15th May and in Kensington High Street, opposite the Israeli embassy on Saturday 16th May to mark Nakba Day.

To Palestinians Nakba Day is Catastrophe Day – the day on 15th May 1948 when thousands of Palestinians were attacked, massacred and brutally driven from their homes into refugee camps to create the new State of Israel.

They have never been allowed to return to their homes, in violation of international law.

The Nakba came just a month after the Deir Yassin massacre on 9th April 1948, when around 120 fighters from the Zionist paramilitary groups Irgun and Lehi attacked Deir Yassin near Jerusalem, a Palestinian Arab village of roughly 600 people.

The assault occurred as Jewish militia sought to relieve the blockade of Jerusalem by Palestinian Arab forces during the civil war that preceded the end of British rule in Palestine. The residents resisted the attack, and the village fell only after fierce house-to-house fighting.

One-hundred-and-seven villagers were killed during and after the battle for the village, including women and children — some were shot, while others died when hand grenades were thrown into their homes.

Several villagers were taken prisoner and are believed to have been killed after being paraded through the streets of West Jerusalem.

This year in Britain there were Nakba commemorations in many towns. In London people gathered outside Downing Street on Friday 15th and outside the Israeli embassy on Saturday 16th in a noisy and colourful protest.

In Kensington a very small group of Zionist counter protesters was moved further along the street by police.