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ActionAid Palestine Statement on the Occasion of Nakba's 72nd Anniversary

Palestinians commemorate nowadays Nakba's 72nd anniversary, Nakba "catastrophe" refers to the mass exodus of at least 750,000 Palestinians were ethnically cleansed from their homeland. Now, 72 years later, the importance of Palestinian demands  for justice is more relevant than ever. The Nakba started in 1948 and never really stopped. While Palestinians continue living under Israeli occupation, without fundamental rights and without the right to return to the homes they once owned, the catastrophe remains ongoing.

Today, records of the United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East  (UNRWA) reported that the total number of Palestinian refugees was 5,6 million, 28.4% of whom live in its  58  refugee camps in   ( Jordan,  Syria,  Lebanon,  West Bank and  Gaza Strip) under difficult conditions.

ActionAid Palestine(AAP) stresses its firm rejection of all attempts to deny Palestinians’ internationally-recognized rights. The United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194 (III), adopted on 11 December 1948, following the Palestinian Nakba and mass displacement of over 750,000 indigenous Palestinians, resolves that “refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible.”

 AAP stressed the Palestinian cause is a core issue, stressing the fact that the rights of self-determination, freedom and independence of Palestinians should be respected.

AAP called on the international community to continue to provide full support to the Palestinian people in order to regain their rights, including the right of return.

Based on international legitimacy resolutions, AAP affirmed the necessity of “two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.”

Background Information

ActionAid

ActionAid is a global federation working for social justice and gender equality and eradicate poverty. ActionAid works worldwide to empower people living in poverty and exclusion with focus on women’s rights .ActionAid works directly and closely with communities, civil society organizations, women movements and social groups and movements and other allies to tackle root causes of poverty and oppression. ActionAid deliver grassroots programmes to utilize efforts of global struggle movements working for a just, fair and sustainable world. Based on human rights-based approach and women rights’ principles, ActionAid seeks to fairly re-distribute powers through solidarity, empowerment, awareness campaigns and creating alternatives to ensure that  everybody enjoys the right to a life of dignity, and freedom from oppression.

ActionAid in Palestine (AAP) is a part of that federation which started its work in Palestine in 2007 to strengthen the resilience of Palestinian People as ActionAid believes that they should enjoy their rights to freedom, justice and self-determination. AAP implements a number of programs through its engagement with communities and women and youth groups seeking to empower them and enhance their influential civil and political participation to understand their rights and undertake collective activism to address the protracted rights violations resulting from the prolonged occupation of Palestine. AAP works simultaneously to enhance their leadership capacity and knowledge to practice their citizenship in holding authorities and other duty bearers to account.

For more information, please contact

Riham Jafari

Coordinator of Advocacy and Communication in Gaza Strip and West Bank

Mobile:

+972 (0) 595242890

Office:

+972 (0) (2) 22 13 137

Email:

 Riham.Jafari@actionaid.org