A RALLY will take place outside Belfast City Hall on Saturday to mark 57 years since the Naksa.
Naksa Day – 'Day of the Setback' – is the annual day of commemoration for the Palestinian people, reflecting on the displacement that accompanied Israel's victory in the Six-Day War in June 1967. As a result of the war, Israel took control of the Palestinian-populated West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Mohammed Samaana from the West Bank has been living in Belfast for over 23 years and works as a nurse in the City Hospital.
Speaking to the Andersonstown News, Mohammed is hoping people will turn out for the rally this weekend.
"This is the first event organised by the Palestinian community," he explained. "We are commemorating Naksa, when apartheid Israel expanded its illegal occupation of Palestine ethnically cleansing of thousands of Palestinians.
"After the Six Day War, Israel occupied much of our land including the Gaza Strip and the West Bank including Jerusalem.
"We want to keep Palestine at the forefront of people’s minds so we hope to see as much support as possible."
The rally will take place at Belfast City Hall at 1pm on Saturday.
