CAIRO: May 15, 1948 marks the 60th anniversary of Al-Nakba, or the catastrophe , on which Israel announced itself an independent state on Palestinian land. “Sixty years after the Israelis occupied Palestine, the situation is much worse. If you look back, on May 15, 1948 a part of Palestine was under the control of the Palestinians and Arabs, said Waheed Abdel Meguid from Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies. On the other hand, today there isn’t an inch in Palestine that is under Palestinian and Arab control, so the situation is deteriorating day after day, Daily News Egypt went out on the streets to get reactions from Egyptians on the Palestinian conflict after 60 years of struggle. However, it seems the majority were too preoccupied with their own problems to think about regional conflict. Here are just a few of the comments they made:”I had no idea that today was the anniversary of the Nakba. I just want to put food on the table and send my kids to school. A porter in Dokki
“I follow the Palestinian conflict on the news, I know it was occupied in 1948 but I don’t know the exact date. All I have to say on the issue is that may God support the Muslims fighting in Palestine and may God stand with our President and other leaders in the peace talks and getting us Jerusalem back. Ashour Belal, a pharmacist
“I only follow up on the war in Iraq and America’s occupation of it Hany Gaber, staff member of a fast food chain outlet.
“There are many things on our mind, our homes, the children and with the rising inflation we have so many problems of our own that we can’t think of other people’s problems. But don’t get me wrong, we care about Palestine and we really wish we can get our land back one day. Wagih Saad and Mohamed Saeed, early 30s.
“I’m 23 years old and still didn’t get a chance to see where my dad grew up. I only know my uncles and cousins by name. I still didn’t get to meet any of them simply because we are separated by borders created by a so called ‘Israel’ and I can’t believe I need a visa to go visit my hometown, my own country. It’s a shame to think that Arab leaders are hoping for peace by dividing our land between us and so called ‘Israelis,’ no one has the right to kick us out of our homes and declare them theirs. Sherihan Amro, a Palestinian refugee who lived in Jordan “Despite the fact that we never lost the hope and persistence to return, it is the 60th anniversary. Sixty years have passed and yet we do still exist, we do still resist, and we do still multiply. Palestinians will never vanish and our right will never be forgotten. Maha Ghaleb, a Palestinian living in Egypt
“Egyptians wouldn’t know that today is the anniversary because it wasn’t a war between Egypt and Israel but rather between several Arab states and the then newly declared Israeli state. Sondos Talaat, a political science student at the American University in Cairo
“I don’t know, I’m busy with other stuff. Hany El Beltagy, a delivery guy. When asked to comment on 60 years the occupation of Palestine, he replied, “Nothing. No comment.
