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Ethnic cleansing in Palestine

The eviction of 750,000 Palestinians in 1948, the Nakba, is a crime that Israel and the world have yet to atone for.

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Ethnic cleansing in Palestine
Published On 15 May 2023

History Illustrated is a weekly series of insightful perspectives that puts news events and current affairs into historical context using graphics generated with artificial intelligence.

What else could anyone possibly call all the massacres, razed homes and theft of land but a catastrophe?
What else could anyone possibly call all the massacres, razed homes and theft of land but a catastrophe?
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That catastrophe—the Nakba—occurred 75 years ago, when Zionist militias drove 750,000 Palestinians from their homes, an act many describe today as ethnic cleansing.
That catastrophe — the Nakba — occurred 75 years ago, when Zionist militias drove 750,000 Palestinians from their homes, an act many describe today as ethnic cleansing.
In late 1947, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 181, to partition Palestine into Arab and Jewish states, with just 33 votes in favour.
In late 1947, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 181 to partition Palestine into Arab and Jewish states, with just 33 votes in favour.
Arabs rejected the UN’s partition plan as an obvious violation of Palestinian rights, and warned of the coming devastation. (It didn’t take long for the killing to start.)
Palestinians rejected the UN’s partition plan as an obvious violation of Palestinian rights, and warned of the coming devastation. (It didn’t take long for the killings to start.)
On March 10, 1948, the Zionist Haganah paramilitary adopted Plan Dalet, which laid out a strategy to ethnically cleanse Palestine.
On March 10, 1948, the Zionist Haganah paramilitary adopted Plan Dalet, which laid out a strategy to ethnically cleanse Palestine.
A month later, in the village of Deir Yassin, Zionists militias killed more than 100 men, women and children—one of several massacres that served to terrorise Palestinians.
A month later, in the village of Deir Yassin, Zionist militias killed more than 100 men, women and children — one of several massacres that served to terrorise Palestinians.
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On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared the creation of the state of Israel, which led to the first Arab-Israeli war—and a massive refugee crisis.
On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared the creation of the state of Israel, which led to the first Palestine-Israel war — and a massive refugee crisis.
Zionist forces would go on to capture 78% of Palestine, with the rest divided into what are now the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Zionist forces would go on to capture 78 percent of Palestine, with the rest divided into what are now the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Today, the Nakba continues with forced evictions and near-daily killings of Palestinians, committed by what many see as an apartheid state, all while the rest of the world stands by and watches.
Today, the Nakba continues with forced evictions and near-daily killings of Palestinians, committed by what many see as an apartheid state, all while the rest of the world stands by and watches.