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Today can only be described as “Bloody Sunday” following the deaths of 21 people, and over 200 injured by Israeli forces. 10 people are reported dead in Lebanon, 8 in Syria, 2 in Gaza, and 1 in the occupied West Bank.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians marked the Nakba anniversary by marching to the borders with Israel in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon. They were demanding their right of return to the homes and lands they were force to flee in 1948.
In Gaza, thousands of people marched to the Erez border crossing where they were met by a barage of bullets and shells fired from tanks. A 17 year old was killed, and 60 were injured. Most of those injured were children, with wounds to their legs. Another man was killed later in the eastern area of Gaza. Currently, F16′s, Apache Helicopters and unmaned drones are roaming the skies above the besieged area.
In Lebanon, thousands marched to Maroun el Rass, the border with Israel. Demonstrators were fired upon by Israeli troops leaving 10 dead and 70 injured, according to local reports. Thousands protested for hours before dispersing peacefully.
In Syria, Palestinian refugees and Syrians crossed into the occupied Golan Heights, and like in Lebaonon and Gaza, they too met a hail of bullets. Local reports say 8 people have been killed and 50 injured. The Syrian Foreign Ministry called Israels actions “criminal activity”, and called on the interntional community to hold Israel responsible for the killing.
In the occupied West Bank, demonstrators faced rubber bullets, live fire, and deadly tear gas as they commerated the Nakba. Unconfirmed reports say 1 man has been killed, and close to 100 people injured. Clashes lasted for hours as demonstrators continued to come under attack from Israeli troops.
Across the world, thousands of people have also been remembering the Nakba. In New York, Norman Finkelstein joined thousands of demonstrators, and in Cairo, thousands have been protesting outside the Egyptian embassy. In London, Dublin, Paris, Madrid, Belfast, Amman, Ankara, Istanbul, Gothenburg and many other cities worldwide, thousands have come out to show their support for the Palestinians right to return to their homes and land.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “We are determined to defend our borders and our sovereignty”.
A spokesman for Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Sami Abu Zuhri, called Sundays murders “a turning point in the Israeli-Arab conflict that proved the Palestinian people and Arabs were committed to ending Israeli occupation.”
Hezbollah condemned the “Israeli aggression on unarmed civilians in Maroun al-Ras and in the Golan, which constitutes a dangerous violation of human rights, and what happened today in Maroun al-Ras and in the Golan is an embodiment of the will of the Palestinian people who are committed to the right of return.”
Mahmoud Abbas, speaking in a telvised interview said, “Their precious blood will not be wasted. It was spilt for the sake of our nation’s freedom.”
Western leaders including Barak Obama, David Cameron, Nicolas Sarkozy, and others has remained silent on the murders.
