The founding of the state of Israel in May 1948 and the following war were perceived by the Arabs in the British Mandate of Palestine as a Nakba, a catastrophe. Hundreds of thousands lost their houses, their property and their homes. Muriel Asseburg explains the prehistory and background of this key year, tells the story of the Palestinian national movement and depicts its most important protagonists. She describes wars, uprisings and peace initiatives, reports on the experiences of Palestinian self-government and portrays important personalities from politics and culture. Her sensitive account lets us see Palestine and the Palestinians with different eyes.