The dean of students of Tel Aviv University has approved a Nakba Day memorial event on campus scheduled to take place on May 14, 2012. Nakba Day for the Arab community marks the ‘catastrophe” of 1948, namely the creation of the State of Israel.

Due to security considerations, the event was moved to Antine Square near the entrance to the university campus. Campus security officials expect protests to the event and they are compelling event organizers to fund the cost of additional security manpower. Restrictions were set in place as well, permitting only a megaphone and banning all flags and posters.

The daily Haaretz quotes event organizer Noa Levy, a law student, as saying “The idea of the ceremony is to be concrete recognition of the pain and loss that the government caused people in this land feel. It’s less about the political-national question, and more about recognizing the tragedy that happened here.”

She stresses that rather than dealing with personal pain, the alternative ceremony will “present the tragedy in as personal a way as possible”.

The university’s student union has released a message distancing itself from the event and expressing opposition.

Interestingly, the event may be in violation of the Nakba Law passed in Knesset in March 2012. That law, which makes it illegal to openly reject the validity of the state or mark Independence Day as a day of mourning has already been challenged in the High Court but the court upheld the law.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)