BOX 01
1948
1948 & The Nakba
The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine
In 1948, the Nakba (meaning “Catastrophe” in Arabic) happened.
Jewish armed groups called the Irgun, Lehi, and Haganah—later the
Israeli army—carried out a plan to
ethnically cleanse Palestine. They forced
over 700,000 Palestinians from their homes.
Over 530 villages were destroyed and wiped off the map.
Massacres like Deir Yassin
(100+ people killed), Tantura (200+ killed), and the
Lydda death march (70,000 forced to walk in extreme heat)
scared the people into running away.
The 750,000+ refugees were never allowed to come back, even though
UN Resolution 194 says they should be. Their land, homes, and
businesses were taken by the new state of Israel. Today
over 6 million refugees live in 58 camps across the Middle East.
This is the longest refugee crisis in the world. The Nakba is
still happening through home demolitions, land theft, and blocking the right to return.
Massacres: 70+ documented in 1948
BOX 02
1967–PRESENT
Military Occupation &
Apartheid & Israeli War Crimes
After the 1967 war, Israel took over the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza and put them under
military rule. Israel set up an apartheid system of
illegal settlements on stolen Palestinian land—this is a
war crime under international law.
700,000+ Israeli settlers now live in
250+ settlements across the West Bank, breaking it up into
small, separate areas. A 712-km wall (ruled illegal by the
World Court in 2004) and 700+
checkpoints trap Palestinians while settlers move freely. Palestinians are tried in
military courts where 99.7%
are found guilty.
Thousands of Palestinians are jailed
without charges or trial based on secret information. Israel has
destroyed over 100,000 Palestinian homes since 1967. There is
water apartheid: settlers get 240
liters of water a day while Palestinians get less than 70.
40% of West Bank land has been taken. This system has been called
apartheid by B'Tselem,
Amnesty International, and
Human Rights Watch.
Homes demolished: 100,000+ since 1967
BOX 03
2007–PRESENT
The Siege of Gaza &
Israeli Genocide & Collective Punishment
In Gaza, Israeli war crimes are at their worst. Since 2007, Israel
has blocked Gaza by land, air, and sea—this is collective
punishment, which is illegal. Human rights groups call Gaza an
“open-air prison.” Named massacres include:
Operation Cast Lead (2008–09, 1,400+ killed),
Operation Protective Edge (2014, 500+ children killed),
the Great March of Return (2018, 200+ unarmed people shot),
the Jabalia massacre (400+ killed when apartments were bombed),
al-Shifa hospital massacre (patients killed),
the flour massacre (118+ starving people shot while waiting
for food), and the Rafah tent camp massacre (45+ burned alive).
Israel has destroyed 80% of homes,
26 out of 36 hospitals, and every university in Gaza.
Over 1,000 doctors and nurses have been killed while working.
Israel is starving the people by blocking 90% of food aid.
With over 40,000 people dead (17,000+
children) and 1.9 million forced from their homes,
the World Court said it is
possible that Israel is committing genocide and ordered Israel
to stop. Israel ignored the order. The
ICC has asked for arrest warrants for Israeli leaders for
war crimes.
Massacres: 15+ named in Gaza