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What happened to Palestinian Arabs during and after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War?

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Panoramic view of a small valley with a stream, olive trees, and terraced hillsides in the countryside near Ramallah, Palestine, under a sky with scattered clouds. — Palestine View from a small valley with a stream between large hills of olive groves.

During and after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the Palestinian Arab community experienced a profound transformation characterized by mass displacement and the loss of their social and political cohesion. In the Arab world, this period is known as the Nakba ("Catastrophe").123

Mass Displacement

Between December 1947 and January 1949, more than 700,000 Palestinians were displaced from their homes, villages, and neighborhoods. This occurred as many were driven out by military forces or fled due to the violence of the conflict. Over 400 Arab villages disappeared, and the center of Palestinian life shifted to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, while others sought refuge in neighboring countries including Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, and Iraq.41

Arabs Remaining in Israel

Approximately 150,000 Arabs remained within the borders of the newly established State of Israel. While theoretically granted equal civil rights, they faced significant hardships:15
* Economic Shift: Much of their land was confiscated, forcing many to abandon agriculture and transition into unskilled wage labor.15
* Military Rule: Until 1966, they lived under a military jurisdiction that severely restricted their freedom of movement and political expression.15