The Nakba was a mass exodus that occurred in 1948 when over 700,000 Palestinians fled from Mandatory Palestine. "Nakba" is an Arabic word meaning "catastrophe". The Nakba happened because of the Arab-Israeli war. Its still has effects today because the descendants of the people involved are still refugees in neighbouring countries. There are about 5 million Palestinians in countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. The Palestinian government has been negotiating with Israel about their right to return to their former homes.