On 15 May 2011, peaceful popular protests were carried out along the Israeli borders with many Arab states by Palestinian refugees and their supporters calling for them to be allowed back to the lands their families once owned. During these protests, thousands of Palestinians refugees and other activists were moving to many Israeli borders when Israeli soldiers fired on the protestors using live ammunition to disperse them, resulting in many deaths and injuries, including along the border between Israel and Syria in the Golan Heights region, and at Marun Al Ras, along the Lebanese border with Israel.

22 year-old Abdullah Al Sharkawy left his university in Islamabad to go get a drink around 6pm last Wednesday, 25 May 2011. He has not been seen since. Then on Sunday 29 May 2011, his brother Ibrahim, 17, went to buy breakfast at the market near their home, and he also disappeared.