The Palestinian Authority (PA) on Wednesday held its official ceremony marking 77 years of what the Palestinian Arabs call the "Nakba," or what they view as the “disaster” of the founding of the state of Israel on May 14, 1948.

The ceremony was attended by PA cabinet leaders, Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) officials, and other public figures. The event featured PA flags, black flags, and keys symbolizing the Palestinian demand for the right of return to Israeli territory.

The keynote speech was delivered by Mahmoud al-Aloul, deputy leader of the Fatah movement, on behalf of Mahmoud Abbas, representing Fatah, the PLO, the Palestinian Authority, and the “State of Palestine”.

Al-Aloul stated that "the Nakba is the greatest crime in history," citing the vast scale of "massacres" committed, the destruction of villages, and the expulsion of Palestinian Arabs from their homeland.

He claimed that Israel is attempting to force Palestinian Arabs to abandon their rights but added that they will fail due to their steadfast resistance and sacrifices.

Ahmad Abu Houli, head of the PLO’s “Department of Refugee Affairs”, spoke on behalf of the PLO and Palestinian Arab organizations, stating that “the Palestinian people will not abandon Palestine but will stand firm against all plans of genocidal war and expulsion.”

Abu Houli emphasized the Palestinian Arabs’ right to self-determination and return to their homes, asserting that this right does not expire with the passage of time.