The annual march commemorating the Palestinian Nakba, set for May 2, has been blocked by Israeli police, Al Jazeera reported.  

For Palestinians, Yawm El Nakba or the "day of catastrophe," refers to Israel's creation after "hundreds of Palestinian towns and villages were depopulated and destroyed in 1948."

Speaking to organizers the police said that "they cannot cope with this year's march because they will be too busy with Independence Day celebrations held by Israeli Jews."

The "March of Return" (which affirms the right of return) is the largest annual commemorative event staged by Israel's "1.7 million Palestinian citizens." The march has extensively grown in size over the years as Israeli authorities continue to oppress Palestinians who live inside and outside of the occupied territories.

25,000 people were set to attend this year's march at a destroyed village in Galilee but if no permit is granted in the coming weeks, the event will not take place for the first time since it was established twenty years ago.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Yousef Jabareen, a Palestinian member of the Israeli parliament said, "this is clearly a political decision. The government is trying to push a new generation of Palestinian youth in Israel into the corner, to intimidate and silence them."

"Israel's Independence Day is our Nakba".

For years Benjamin Netanyahu's government has frowned upon any commemoration of the Nakba and in 2011 passed a law to financially penalize any institution or organization that marks the events of 1948.

The event's slogan "Israel's Independence Day is our Nakba,"  highlights its importance to organizers and participants who continue to speak up against Israel's attempts to erase Palestine's history.

Even though a permit has yet to be given to organizers, many are adamant on continuing to fight for their right to march.

Mohammed Kayal, a board member of ADRID (Association for the Defence of the Rights of the Internally Displaced) which also organizes the event spoke to Al Jazeera. 

"The march has passed off peacefully for many years, and there is no reason it won't do so this year, too," he said.