PRESS RELEASE
15 may 2023
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Nakba: the unspeakable tragedy where 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from their homes and lands in 1948. As a result, some 6 million Palestinian refugees now live in camps accross Palestine and the neighbouring countries.
These are people who lived in their homes for centuries, where the three Abrahamic faiths shared the same land and breathed the same air. Many still have the keys to the homes from which they were evicted, while others suffer the generational trauma as entire villages expelled.
Now, as human rights organisations in Israel and around the world have documented, Palestinians are forced to live in Apartheid conditions and without similar freedoms.
The Muslim Council of Britain deplores the ongoing human rights violations suffered by Palestinians, including the denial of their right to self-determination, the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements, and the killing and imprisonment of innocent Palestinians, including women and children. The abuses faced by the Palestinians for decades has resulted in countless deaths and 6 million refugees
MCB Secretary General Zara Mohammed said:
“The Nakba is a tragedy that continues to have a devastating impact on the Palestinian people. As a country bearing historic responsibility to the current condition, we call on our British government to recognize the Nakba, and it’s ramifications.
We must all work to end the occupation and achieve a just and lasting peace that respects the rights of all Palestinians.
The MCB calls on the international community to take concrete steps to hold Israel accountable for its human rights violations, including its system of apartheid, and to support the Palestinian people in their struggle for justice and self-determination.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- For any media enquiries, contact: media@mcb.org.uk
- The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) is the UK’s largest and most diverse Muslim umbrella organisation with membership spanning national, regional local organisations, mosques, charities and professional networks. It is independent, cross-sectarian and democratic with the leadership team accountable to the membership.