May 15 carries great historical significance in the context of the Israel-Palestine conflict. While it marks a day of national liberation and statehood for one side, it signifies displacement and expulsion for the other. Essentially, the date serves as a powerful symbol of two contrasting historical experiences. Understanding its significance is essential to grasping the broader conflict in the region and the challenges to reconciliation between Israel and Palestine.
How is May 15 linked to Israeli independence?
Although Israel does not officially celebrate May 15, the day holds significant meaning in its cultural memory. Israel observes its Independence Day (Yom Ha’atzmaut) according to the Hebrew calendar, on 5 Iyar—the day that corresponded to May 14, 1948, when the state declared its independence.
May 15, 1948, marked the expiry of the British Mandate for Palestine, which had been established under the League of Nations in 1922. Hours before the mandate ended, on May 14, David Ben-Gurion declared the establishment of the State of Israel, marking the end of decades-long Zionist efforts for establishing a Jewish homeland.
For those who had settled in Israel after surviving the Second World War and the Holocaust, the formation of Israel was a moment of pride and a symbol of survival. However, for Israel, May 15, 1948—the day the British Mandate for Palestine officially ended—also marked the beginning of a new chapter of conflict, as neighbouring Arab states, including Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Iraq launched an attack. Therefore, though May 15 is not generally celebrated, it represents the moment of resilience of the newly formed Jewish state against the attacks from Arab states.
What does May 15 represent for Palestinians?
The establishment of the State of Israel and the Arab Israeli war that followed led to the forced displacement of an estimated 700,000 to 1 million Palestinians. The army of the newly formed Jewish state destroyed or depopulated entire villages, never allowing many Palestinians to return to their home. The displaced became refugees in neighbouring Arab countries, or resettled in the West Bank and Gaza. Thus, the violent conflicts that followed the creation of Israel marked the beginning of the Palestinian refugee crisis, which continues to this day.
Palestinians remember May 15 as the day of ‘Nakba’, which means ‘the catastrophe’ or ‘the disaster’ in Arabic. The term refers to Palestinians’ loss of homeland and their long-standing struggle for national identity and rights, especially the right of return for refugees and their descendants.
In 1998, Yasser Arafat, former President of the Palestinian National Authority, officially designated May 15 as ‘Nakba Day’ to commemorate the loss of their homeland and displacement. Since then, Palestinians around the world have observed the day with cultural events, public commemorations, protests and renewed calls for the right to return. Thus, for Palestinians, the day symbolises both historical loss and the ongoing struggle for homeland, self-determination and ultimately, justice.
Why does May 15 remain a point of tension today?
Symbolising opposing historical narratives, May 15 has become deeply entrenched in both Israeli and Palestinian political consciousness. However, in recent years, especially since 7th October 2023, the day carries even more weight following the deadliest escalation in the conflict to date.
The recent escalation of the conflict began when Hamas launched a surprise terror attack on Israel, crossing the southern border. In this deadly assault, Hamas—a group designated as a terrorist organisation by Israel and others, including United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, Argentina, Egypt and European Union—killed over 1000 people, mostly civilians, and took more than 200 hostages. This brutal incident prompted a massive and sustained Israeli military campaign in Gaza.
Following the Hamas attack, Israel launched airstrikes, ground operations and a total siege on the Gaza Strip. Israel frames these actions as necessary to protect its citizens and sovereignty. However, the world opinion on the matter is divided due to the scale of destruction and civilian deaths caused by Israel’s response. According to some estimates, over 50000 Palestinians, the majority of them civilians, including thousands of children, have lost their lives in Israeli attacks. Disregarding accepted wartime norms, Israel has destroyed hospitals, schools and residential areas in Gaza, leaving much of the region reduced to concrete rubble. With the destruction of essential infrastructure and displacement of millions amid severe shortage of food, water, and medicine, Gaza is currently facing one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes in recent history.
The ongoing violence has given deeper meaning to the Palestinian understanding of the Nakba, as a continuing reality rather than a historical memory. For many Palestinians, the events in Gaza are an extension of destruction, dispossession and suffering their ancestors experienced in 1948. However, for Israelis, it remains a continuous struggle to defend the world’s only Jewish state against existential threats. As long as two contrasting interpretations of history persist, the Israel-Palestine conflict will continue to find justification. Until that changes, May 15 will remain a symbol not only of resilience but also of renewed rage and resistance.
