Land Day 2023: Date, Facts and Why it is celebrated

Land day is an important day for the people of Palestine. Know why do we celebrate the day and its significance

Palestinians hold protests on the occasion of Land day

(Image: iStock)

Land Day 2023: Land Day is an important day for the people of Palestine across the globe. It helps people understand the struggle behind their ownership of land. We celebrate land day on 30 March every year.

It is celebrated to honor the 6 people who lost their lives during protests against Israel when the people of the country were taking over Palestinian land. This day is celebrated not only as a reminder but to celebrate the revolutionary spirit of the Palestinian people.

Let's know the history and significance behind the Land day and some interesting fact about the celebration.

Land Day 2023: History

In 1976, the Israeli government announced its plan to take land from Arab towns like Sakhnin and Arraba in Israel’s Galilee region for official use hich forced the Arab people to leave the area.

The National Committee for the Defense of Arab Lands was the first political group to call for a strike and the day they decided to do so was called as “Land Day”. On this day, people held protests, mostly in the places that were hurt. This was an important event because Arabs rarely protested in public before the 1970s. Arabs on both sides of the Israeli line came together because of this event.

The protest did not stop the plan to take over land and hundreds of people were hurt, and six people died. After 16 years, Palestine announced Land Day as a national holiday in the country and every year Palestinians all over the country protest and go on strike to mark the day.

It was in 2018 when this movement got a new boost when thousands of Palestinians celebrated Land Day by walking calmly towards the Gaza Strip’s border areas and it was called as “Great March of Return,”. The main aim of the march was to bring attention to the efforts of the people who took a stand against the land grabs. It was also a protest against Israel’s 10-year siege of Gaza. The major countries where the Palestinians celebrated Land Day include the U.S., Canada, Germany, Finland, France, and Belgium.

Land Day 2023: Significance

Land day 2023 is celebrated to honor the people who fought and others who are still fighting for their rights, land, and identity.

This day reminds us about the importance of unity. It teaches us to work together since land Day brought together Palestinians from all walks of life to work for the same goal- protection of their land.

It reminds us about the importance of land on which we live, and practice farming at times. The protests and strikes bring the attention to this problem.

Land Day 2023: Interesting Facts

1. Olive trees are a sign of Palestine since it is the country with some of the oldest olive trees in the world and it signifies the people who live there.

2. Palestine is also one of the oldest countries where the people have lived. Archaeological findings show that it was the first place where people settled down and started farming. Palestine has one of the oldest city- Jericho that was formed around 8000 B.C.

3. Most Palestinians are descended from the Canaanites and they lived in the eastern Mediterranean, and the Arab tribes who married into their families.

4. Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Nazareth are all holy places in Palestine that are holy places for the Jews, Muslims, and Christians.

5. Special groups like Islamic Relief have been active in Palestine that help people deal with the fighting and stress caused by the war. They provide emergency humanitarian aid, fun activities, and psychosocial support programmes.