PALESTINIAN INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS AND REFUGEES INSIDE ISRAEL: A SCHISMATIC HISTORY

  • Chukwuemeka Nwosu, Ph.D

Abstract

The Palestinian-Israeli conflict does not date from today or the 1967 war rather it dates back to the 1930’s and 1940’s when the Zionist movement stepped up its efforts to bring Jewish to Palestine, thus setting the stage for a future confrontation with the Palestinian Arabs. Thus, this confrontation had its full expression in the 1948 war, as a result of which the state of Israel was created and more than two-thirds of the Palestinians were uprooted from their homeland and became refugees. Undoubtedly, the international community failed then as well as have continued to fail so far to resolve this problem, and General Assembly Resolution 194 remains largely a symbol of the Palestinians demand to be allowed to return to their homes and lands in what became known as Israel. Any discussion since then, revolving around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict switches immediately to a discussion of the Palestinians’ right to return. Indeed, civilians are not under any obligation to endanger their lives by staying in battle zones and they have the full right to flee for their lives as well as go back home when the fighting stops. It is important to note that this principle, which is enshrined in international law, was enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of Israelis who fled their homes in northern Israel just recently in summer 2006, during the second Lebanon War, was not applicable to the Palestinian Arabs. The Palestinian refugees despite that and for over six decades, have identified with their aboriginal cities and villages from which they, their fathers or even grandfathers were expelled or displaced.

Veröffentlicht
2021-03-12
Rubrik
Articles