Known in Hebrew as Yom Ha'Atzmaut, it is celebrated on the 5th day of the Jewish calendar's month of Iyar, and marks the date that
Israel declared itself an independent state, which was May 14, 1948 on the Gregorian calendar. Many Israelis and Jews worldwide celebrate it as a day marking the beginning of a Jewish nation-state and of ending centuries of Jewish exile and persecution. Palestinians view this day as part of
Al-Nakba (Arabic for "the catastrophe"), which refers to the events in the lead up to, during, and the aftermath of the
1948 War, in which 700,000-800,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled from their homes, most of whom were never allowed to return. For the text of Israel's Declaration of Establishment, see the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
See also the iNakba app, developed by the organization Zochrot.