By Mafa Kwanisai Mafa

ON May 15, 2025, we commemorate the Nakba, the catastrophe that marked the beginning of a brutal campaign to dispossess the Palestinian people of their land, their homes and their dignity.

This day serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for the Palestinian people, whose lives have been shaped by violence, displacement, and denial of their basic human rights. The Nakba is not a historical event of the past but a living reality that continues to unfold in the full glare of the international community, including institutions such as the United Nations, Amnesty International, and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which have consistently failed to take meaningful action against the atrocities perpetuated by the Israeli state.

The Nakba: A history of atrocities

The Nakba began in 1948 with the creation of the State of Israel. In the months leading up to Israel’s declaration of independence, Zionist militias carried out a systematic campaign of terror against the Palestinian population. Over 750 000 Palestinians were expelled from their homes and became refugees in the neighbouring Arab countries. The violence included massacres, forced expulsions, and destruction of Palestinian villages. The first major atrocity took place in Deir Yassin, where around 100 Palestinian civilians were massacred by the Irgun and Stern Gang, two Zionist paramilitary groups, on April 9, 1948.

The expulsion of Palestinians was not a spontaneous event, but part of a deliberate plan orchestrated by Zionist leaders, including David Ben-Gurion, to establish a Jewish-majority state. The 1948 Nakba led to the establishment of Israel while leaving behind a dispossessed and stateless Palestinian population. Since then, Israel has continued its brutal repression of the Palestinian people, including violent evictions, arbitrary arrests, and state-sanctioned terror, all carried out with impunity.

This genocide has only worsened with time. The international community, including human rights organisations, has repeatedly documented Israel’s crimes, yet no meaningful action has been taken. Amnesty International and the ICJ have condemned Israel’s actions, but Israel continues to receive unwavering support from imperialist powers, particularly the United States.

The Role of Western powers: A History of Complicity

The British Empire’s role in the Nakba cannot be overlooked. In 1917, the Balfour Declaration promised British support for a Jewish national home in Palestine, despite the fact that the majority of the population at the time were Arabs. Britain’s role in the displacement of Palestinians was integral to the establishment of Israel in 1948. The British provided support to Zionist militias during the British mandate period and failed to take meaningful action to protect the rights of the indigenous Palestinian population.

Following the establishment of Israel, the United States, along with France and Britain, continued to enable Israel’s 

expansionism. The US has played a central role in arming Israel, providing the regime with billions of dollars in military aid every year. In 2023 alone, the United States gave Israel US$3,8 billion in military assistance, the largest such amount granted to any country in the world. These weapons, including Apache helicopters, fighter jets, and drones, are used to terrorise Palestinian civilians and continue the occupation of Palestinian territories. This constant supply of arms has allowed Israel to maintain its colonial occupation and commit atrocities with little fear of retribution. 

Israel’s Continued War on the Palestinian People

Since 1948, the Nakba has not ended. The oppression of Palestinians continues with each passing day. Israel’s apartheid policies, reminiscent of the system of racial segregation once in place in South Africa, continue to wreak havoc on the Palestinian population. In Gaza, over 2 million Palestinians are ‘imprisoned’ in one of the world’s largest open-air prisons, subject to constant bombings, deprivation of basic necessities, and severe restrictions on movement.

The ongoing genocide of Palestinians is not a matter of religious or cultural differences, but a struggle for human dignity, social justice, and human rights. Palestinians have been forcibly displaced, their homes demolished, and their families shattered. Children are killed in droves by Israeli airstrikes, sniper fire and artillery bombardments. Women are targeted, with hundreds killed in air raids and military assaults. 

The Treason of Arab Normalisation

One of the most shocking developments in recent years has been the normalisation of relations between Israel and several Arab nations, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Morocco. These agreements, brokered by the United States, have been condemned as treasonous acts of betrayal against the Palestinian people. These regimes have abandoned the Palestinian cause, choosing economic and diplomatic ties with Israel over the struggle for justice and liberation.

Such actions are a direct betrayal of the OAU’s founding principles and the liberation agenda that defined the African continent’s struggle against apartheid, colonialism, and imperialism. ZANU-PF, the ruling party in Zimbabwe, has a proud history of standing with the Palestinian people and resisting the forces of imperialism. ZANU-PF fought against apartheid and the occupation of Palestine, and it must continue to oppose any normalisation with Israel that undermines the Palestinian struggle for freedom and dignity.

The Palestinian cause transcends religious or racial identity; it is a universal struggle for human rights, dignity, and justice. It is a battle against imperialism, colonialism, and racism. The Palestinian people are not just fighting for their land, but for the survival of their humanity against an apartheid state that seeks to erase them from history.

We condemn the normalisation of relations between Arab nations and Israel as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause and a dangerous step backward for the African liberation agenda. Zimbabwe, as a member of the African Union and the United Nations, must stand firm in support of Palestine. The Government must use all available platforms in SADC, AU, and the UN to provide diplomatic and material support to Palestine and demand accountability for Israel’s crimes.

As Zimbabweans, we must not allow ourselves to be fooled by the lies of any organisation seeking to whitewash the genocide in Gaza. We must continue to support the Palestinian cause with the same commitment and urgency with which we fought against apartheid and colonialism. Let us stand in solidarity with Palestine and resist the forces of imperialism, Zionism and collaboration that seek to undermine the fight for justice.

We stand with the Palestinian people in their struggle for justice, freedom, and dignity.  The world cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the systematic dispossession of Palestinians from their land. We call on all Zimbabweans, Africans, and anti-imperialists to rise up and defend Palestine. This is not just a Palestinian struggle, it is a struggle for humanity, a struggle for social justice, and a struggle for the rights of all oppressed peoples. We will not allow Zionism, imperialism, or apartheid to go unchallenged. Free, free Palestine!