You can trace the word ‘Palestine’ back almost 2500 years ago. Palestinians have always had close ties to their land.

Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire, which spanned from South-eastern Europe and Western Asia to North Africa, with Constantinople (now Istanbul) as its capital. Palestine’s economy was booming and there was massive progress in health and education.

A political movement called Zionism started. This promoted the idea of moving European Jews to Palestine. This faced mixed reactions from the Jewish community.

British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour promised European Jews a homeland in Palestine. But Palestinians were already living there. This promise by Britain of Palestinian land to European Jews when the British did not own Palestine is the Balfour Declaration.

After centuries of antisemitism (racism against Jews), atrocities against Jews in Germany increased as the Nazis rose to power. This resulted in the horrors of the Holocaust, in which 6 million European Jews were murdered.

After the Holocaust, European powers (especially Britain) and the USA supported the movement of European Jews to Palestine. They also supported and armed Zionists. The Zionists waged a war against Palestinians to create Israel. This resulted in over 750,000 Palestinian refugees, the destruction of 531 towns and villages and 78% of mandate Palestine being occupied. This catastrophe for Palestinians is called the Nakba (catastrophe).

Israel attacked Egypt and over the next 6 days illegally occupied (invaded and seized control) of the Palestinian West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. Another 300,000 Palestinians became refugees. Israelis encircled remaining Palestinian towns and villages to establish Jewish-only communities on stolen Palestinian land. These communities are called settlements and are illegal under international law.

Israel illegally annexed (took control of) East Jerusalem. This was a violation of international law and was condemned by the UN. Ever since, Israel has continued to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from their ancestral lands in East Jerusalem.

The First Intifada, a massive grassroots Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation took place. Israel murdered over 1300 Palestinians during the First Intifada, including over 200 children.

Israel started building the Apartheid Wall, which today cuts deep into the occupied West Bank and separates Palestinian families from one another. The Wall reduces the freedom of movement of Palestinians and severely damages Palestinian agriculture, towns and villages. The International Court of Justice has ruled that the path of the Wall is illegal.

The Second Intifada took place after failed peace negotiations. This was triggered by a provocative visit by Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon to Al-Aqsa Mosque. Israel killed around 4000 Palestinians during the Second Intifada.

Israel imposed an air, land and sea siege on Gaza. This means Israel controls what goes in and out of Gaza, including humanitarian aid. Palestinians in Gaza experience extreme suffering under the siege and frequent brutal bombardments by Israel.

Israel launched a vicious bombardment on Gaza in August. Over 11 days Israel murdered 256 Palestinians, including 66 children. Israel targeted residential buildings on 16th May, murdering 30 family members including 11 children, in violation of international law.

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Israeli NGO B’Tselem have confirmed what Palestinians have said for decades: Israel is imposing apartheid on Palestinians, from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea.