A few days ago, the ‘Nakba’ was commemorated. For the Arab world, this represents the ‘catastrophe’ of the refugee flow resulting from the declaration of an independent Israel, and the war that followed after almost every Arab and/or Muslim country in the wider region attacked the new state. This refugee flow was indeed immense, but refugee crises have existed in all eras and across all regions.

In recent years, much attention has rightfully gone to the war in Ukraine, which has displaced hundreds of thousands across Europe—many of whom have been received with empathy and care. Afghanistan and Syria, too, have produced refugee flows that we are all familiar with. And rightly so—these are deeply personal human tragedies. 

Yet throughout modern history, there have also been refugee crises that received far less attention—stories that remain unknown to much of the wider public. 

The Middle East 

The Nakba, or “Catastrophe,” is – as stated before – widely known and yearly commemorated on the 15th of may. Around 750,000 Arabs were displaced during the founding of the State of Israel — some fled the fighting that broke out after the surrounding Arab states launched a military attack on the newly declared state, others were expelled by Israeli forces, and still others left voluntarily, following calls from Arab leaders, including the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini, who urged them to temporarily evacuate in anticipation of an Arab victory. To this day, the Nakba remains a central issue in........

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