Press Release on the 78th Anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba

Press Release Issued by the League of Parliamentarians for Al-Quds and Palestine on the 78th Anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba

On the fifteenth of May, the Palestinian people and the free people of the world commemorate the seventy-eighth anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba. This historic crime represents one of the most heinous acts of ethnic cleansing and forced displacement in modern history, resulting in the destruction of hundreds of towns and villages, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their land and homes.

This year, the anniversary of the Nakba comes under exceptional and highly dangerous circumstances. Today, the Palestinian people—specifically in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Jerusalem—are subjected to a war of genocide, daily massacres, and frantic efforts to enforce a reality of forced displacement once again. This confirms that the eliminationist, colonial mentality that committed the 1948 massacres is the very same mentality driving the Israeli machine of oppression today.

In observance of this painful anniversary, the "League of Parliamentarians for Al-Quds and Palestine" emphasizes the following constants and determinants:

First: The Sacred Right of Return The right of return for Palestinian refugees to the homes from which they were displaced is an inherent, individual, and collective right. It is inalienable and does not lapse by the passage of time. This right is guaranteed by international charters and norms, foremost among which is UN Resolution 194. Any attempts to liquidate the refugee issue or circumvent it are destined to fail in the face of the unwavering will to cling to the land.

Second: The Failure of Displacement Projects Through their legendary steadfastness and endurance on their land, despite the brutality of the aggression and the war of starvation, the Palestinian people have proven that they have forever shattered the illusions of a "New Nakba." Today, Palestinians are deeply rooted in their land, rejecting uprooting, and presenting the most magnificent epics of heroism in defense of their existence and identity.

Third: Parliamentary and International Responsibility The League calls upon all parliaments, as well as regional and international parliamentary unions, to shoulder their legal, moral, and historical responsibilities. The commemoration of the Nakba must be transformed into a political and legislative action that exerts pressure to end the occupation, stop the war of genocide, and hold the leaders of the occupation accountable as war criminals before the International Criminal Court. The international community's continued policy of double standards and absolute silence is what provides the cover for the continuation of this 78-year-long tragedy.

Fourth: Ending the Occupation and Establishing the State The League stresses that security and stability in the region will not be achieved without ending the longest and most heinous occupation in contemporary history, and enabling the Palestinian people to exercise their legitimate right to self-determination and establish their fully sovereign, independent state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem) as its capital.

In conclusion, the League of Parliamentarians for Al-Quds and Palestine extends a salute of reverence and pride to the souls of the martyrs of Palestine, to the brave prisoners in the occupation prisons, and to every Palestinian standing steadfast and holding onto their right to their land and homeland. The League pledges to them to continue the diplomatic and parliamentary struggle in all forums until the occupation ends and the long-awaited return is realized.

League of Parliamentarians for Al-Quds and Palestine

Friday, May 15, 2026