Zochrot - 60th Anniversary of the UN Decision to Partition Palestine

60th Anniversary of the UN Decision to Partition Palestine

On Thursday, November 29 2007, at the corner of Rothschild Blvd. and Balfour(!) Street in Tel Aviv, Zochrot commemorated the sixtieth anniversary of the UN decision to partition Palestine.

Five life-size photographs were displayed, showing Palestinian refugees from the 1948 Nakba. The people in the photographs were born in the village of al Ras al-Ahmar, today the site of moshav Kerem ben Zimra, in the Upper Galilee . The photographs were taken as part of "Bridging Memory," a project developed by Zochrot together with partners in and Europe . A poster showing the development of the project, including an exhibition of the photographs on the former site of the village, was also displayed.

Passers-by were handed flyers explaining the event. On the rear of the flyers were printed excerpts from "talk-backs" received in response to other Zochrot activities. One of us climbed a tree to read the talk-backs aloud.‎

Hundreds of people passed by during the exhibit, and many stopped to view the photographs and listen to explanations of the event. There were many discussions and arguments about the meaning of partition, of the Nakba and of the Palestinian refugees' right of return - some encouraging and emotional, others critical, but only one angry, cursing response. Two women agreed to be photographed next to a picture of a refugee, and received it as a gift.‎

Bellow is the text appearing on the flyer:

Sixtieth anniversary of the Partition decision and the Nakba

Sixty years have passed since November 29, 1947, the date of the UN decision to divide Palestine into two states: one Arab, and the other Jewish. The idea of partition, that Jews and Arabs should be separated from each other, is one of the principal causes of the conflict that has continued since the early days of Zionism. The establishment of the state of did not guarantee the security of its Jewish inhabitants, and the Nakba turned millions of Palestinians into refugees. These refugees are the heart of the conflict, and they will not disappear. They are still here, standing tall, wanting to return to their country. We must choose between recognizing their right to return, and the continuation of the conflict.‎

These are photographs of Palestinian refugees from the village of Ras‎ al-Ahmar. Kerem ben Zimra, a moshav, was established on its lands. The refugees live today in the Ein el Hilweh camp outside of Sidon, . The photographs were displayed next to remnants of the village that are still visible on the moshav's land, and were created as part of "Bridging Memory", a project Zochrot is carrying out jointly with partners in Europe and in Lebanon.