“The wound is still open”: the Nakba experience among internally displaced Palestinians in Israel

Abstract

Purpose-While the 1948 Nakba represents the most significant crisis in the history of the Palestinian people, its psychological effects on its survivors in Israel have yet to be explored. The purpose of this paper is to examine the subjective experience and the psychological implications of the Nakba ordeals and the ensuing uprooting among the internally displaced Palestinians living in Israel. Design/methodology/approach-Qualitative semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with ten internally displaced Palestinians who experienced the Nakba as youngsters. The interview transcripts were analyzed thematically in line with accepted practice in phenomenological research in psychology. Findings-Participants had experienced a wide range of traumatic events intertwined with protracted daily struggles and accumulated losses. These experiences resulted in pronounced psychological distress and immense inner pain that was perpetuated throughout their lives, rendering the Nakba an unresolved traumatic experience. Research limitations/implications-This paper describes the psychological outcome of the Nakba among a small sample of elderly survivors. Further urgent research is needed to collect valuable untapped information from this aging and dwindling community. Originality/value-Although more than six decades have elapsed since the tragic events, the current research paper constitutes a pioneering effort to document the subjective experience of the Nakba. The current research findings counterbalance 60 years of public and academic disregard of this tragic period.

The Experiences of People From Arab Countries in Coping with Trauma Resulting From War and Conflict in the Middle East: A Systematic Review and Meta-synthesis of Qualitative Studies

“…It means I don't recognize who I am. I'm present here in the country but absent like those who fled to Syria and Lebanon (Ghnadre Naser & Somer, 2016) Genocide also had a profound impact on Yazidi survivors. One of them noted how it felt like their hearts died with the genocide:…”

“…We sought to contribute to the literature by identifying culturally relevant semantic meanings allocated to war or conflict by the population of interest. As few studies have attempted to gain a culturally informed qualitative understanding of these populations' war experiences (Al-Natour et al, 2022, Arenliu et al, 2020Ghnadre-Naser & Somer, 2016), a review of the existing qualitative data could help develop that understanding. Therefore, the following research question guided our study: How do people from Arab countries in the Middle East experience and cope with war and political violence trauma?…”

“….] we can't forget (Ghnadre-Naser & Somer, 2016) Coping with Painful Experiences. After going through the painful experiences mentioned and witnessing violence and murders, the individuals had several ways of coping.…”

Fathers in and Against Pain: Father’s Interruptions of Settler-Colonial Technologies of Loss

“…Trauma survivors who choose to “fight” (rather than give flight) establish a degree of control over their emotional state that reaffirms a sense of power (Herman, 1992). Ghnadre-Naser & Somer (2016) argue that Palestinians implement various coping strategies when forced to cope with the conditions of an ongoing Nakba. The settler colonial context places constraints on the ability to mourn, in addition to the prevailing cultural and social norms that discourage displays of emotion (Ghnadre-Naser & Somer, 2016).…”

“…Ghnadre-Naser & Somer (2016) argue that Palestinians implement various coping strategies when forced to cope with the conditions of an ongoing Nakba. The settler colonial context places constraints on the ability to mourn, in addition to the prevailing cultural and social norms that discourage displays of emotion (Ghnadre-Naser & Somer, 2016). Palestinians decided to participate in the funeral while challenging the attendance restrictions as part of a collective act of defiance and ultimately national resistance (Hammami, 2006) demonstrating what Shalhoub-Kevorkian (2014) defines as structures of support that maintain hope in times of death and dying.…”