6 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT PALESTINE
Here are 6 essential facts to know about Palestine and Palestinians to understand what's happening there now.
01,
In 1948, armed militias massacred thousands of Palestinians, forcing 75% of the Palestinian population to flee their homes in order to establish the state of Israel on their land.
Palestinians call this the Nakba, Arabic for the "Catastrophe."
02,
Before the Nakba, Palestinians - including Palestinian Christians, Muslims, and Jews lived in peace on their land for hundreds of years.
03,
Since the Nakba, Israel has been illegally stealing Palestinian land while subjecting Palestinians to a violent and racist apartheid system.
That means Israel has been oppressing Palestinians for over 75 years.
04,
Palestinian culture is centered around food, hospitality, community, and family.
Despite Israel's attempts to erase Palestinian culture, Palestinians remain connected to their identity and heritage.
05,
Today, there are at least 14.3 million Palestinians worldwide. At least 6 million of them are refugees who've been forced out of their homes by Israel.
06,
Israel has held Gaza under an inhumane siege for over 16 years, brutally bombarding the small area - where half the population is children - every few years.
Israel's current genocidal assault on Gaza, however, is the most horrific in history.
Sources: "The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine", Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the UN, Al Jazeera
Photo credits: Reuters, Loay Ayyoub, The Washington Post
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