"Al-Naksa and UN Resolutions"
AL-Naksa in Arabic literally means, the "setback" or the "relapse." This word like Al-Nakba, refers to a specific period of time around 1967 when Israel procured the whole of Palestine. If you remember, after Al-Nakba in 1948, Israel controlled 78% of the land of Palestine, with only 22% belonging to historic Palestine. This is in no way a complete summary, but you can watch a documentary (link in the comments).
On June 5, 1967, the Israeli army launched a pre-emptive strike against Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, and Syria, and shocked the world when it seized the remaining Palestinian territories of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem, as well as the Golan Heights and part of the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula. And in only six days, Palestinians lost all that remained of their homeland. By the end of the war, Israel had expelled another 300,000 Palestinians, and at least 130,000 of them had already been displaced in 1948. Thus began an occupation that would become the longest in modern history at more than 56 years and counting.
For some Christian Zionists, as well as right wing Jewish settlers, they believed the victory was from God. Therefore, the land they believe was promised to the Jews and the Jews alone, was colonized. We call this manifest destiny. Christian Zionists also cheered the takeover of Jerusalem and hailed it a fulfillment of Prophecy, and proclaimed Jesus was coming soon. They did the same thing in 2017, when Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
There were a series of events that led up to the war of 1967, 20 years after Al-Nakba. First, there were many clashes at the borders of Syria-Israel and Jordan-Israel. Thousands of Palestinian refugees from 1948 tried to cross the borders into what was now Israel to search for relatives and also an attempt to return to their homes for their possessions. Remember, these are the refugees that Israel promised would be able to return to their homes two weeks after the war of 1948. During the years of 1949 and 1956, it is estimated that Israel shot and killed between 2,000-5,000 people who were trying to cross the border. If you remember, UN Resolution 194 stated:
“Refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and those wishing not to return should be compensated for their property.”
This UN Resolution was ignored.
In 1953, there was a retaliatory massacre that took place in the West Bank against the village of Qibya by Israel. 45 houses were blown up and at least 69 Palestinians were killed. A few years later in 1956, Israel partnered with France and Britain to invade Egypt and try to take down President Gamal Abdel Nasser, after he nationalized the Suez Canal Company. For an entire decade, a UN peacekeeping force was set up at the border between Egypt-Israel, and the three countries were forced to withdraw.
During the 1950s, Palestinian resistance groups formed, and they attempted to attack Israel. In 1966, Fatah, a Palestinian group, killed several Israeli soldiers and Israel retaliated by rounding up the people living in the village, and blew up dozens of homes, killing many people and wounding even more. These and many other events, led up to the war of 1967.
On the evening before the war, Israeli minister, Yigal Allon wrote: "In....a new war, we must avoid the historical mistake of the War of Independance (1948)....and we must not cease fighting until we achieve total victory, the territorial fulfillment of the land of Israel." Indeed, they did. Through this war, several Palestinian villages were ethnically cleansed and destroyed with more than 10,000 people expelled. In the West Bank, the Israeli army systematically destroyed Palestinian homes and about 12,000 people were expelled as a means of punishment. Many of the Palestinians who became refugees in 1967, fled to Jordan, crossing the Jordan River on foot with very few of their belongings.
The 1967 war brought more than 1 million Palestinians under Israeli control. The devastating loss is what created an emergence of armed resistance movements that began in the 1970s and 1980s.
On November 22, 1967, the UN unanimously passed resolution 242 which called for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. It stated: "Withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict. Termination of all claims or states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgement of the sovereignty, integrity and political independence of every state in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force....."
On May 1, 1968, the Israeli ambassador to the UN stated its opinion on resolution 242: "My government has indicated its acceptance of the Security Council resolution for the promotion of agreement on the establishment of a just and lasting peace. I am also authorized to reaffirm that we are willing to seek agreement with each Arab State on all matters included in that resolution."
Instead, Israel encouraged its citizens to move into these territories and helped them do it. In direct disregard of International Law, Israel began building illegal settlements on these lands. Settlers began moving into the West Bank and Gaza, taking Palestinian homes and land. This continues to this day in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem. This is we why call it an occupation.
Almost every Palestinian knows both UN Resolution 194 and 242 and can quote them from memory. These resolutions have been completely disregarded by the government of Israel as they continue to violate human rights and disregard international law. And the cycle of death and destruction will continue on.
