Palestinian Refugees

About Palestinian Refugees• Arabs originally located in Israel & Jews originally located in

Arab Palestine• Exiled to West Bank, Gaza Strip, bordering nations (Lebanon,

Syria, Jordan)• Reason for mass exodus = controversy• Plan before or during war between Israelis & Arabs• Unintended consequence of war

Palestinian-Jewish relations• Jewish leaders invited Palestinian refugees to live as citizens in Israel• Refused b/c• Unwilling to live with Jews• Hopeful of Arab military victory to annihilate Zionists

• 1971 United Nations report stated that:• The continual pressure applied by Israeli authorities on the

Palestinian population created a climate of fear within the civil population leading to a cycle of resistance and Israeli reprisals. The Israeli Government carried out a policy of the destruction of Palestinian society by harassment (parts of the rural population were transferred from their homes) and arbitrary deportation of leaders and intellectuals from among the inhabitants of the occupied territories (judges, barristers, advocates, doctors, teachers, religious leaders).

Palestinian-Jordan relations• Jordan annexed &

occupied West Bank• Most refugees given

Jordanian citizenship

Palestinian-Lebanon relations

• Over 400,000 Palestine refugees deprived of basic human rights• Lebanon gave

citizenship to 50,000 in 50s and 60s

Six Day War

• Israel invaded West Bank, Gaza Strip, & Sinai • 245,000 from West

Bank and Gaza Strip to Jordan• 11,000 from Gaza

to Egypt• 116,000

Palestinians and Syrians from Golan Heights into Syria

Views on Right to Return• Israel• Promised UN before 1948 to integrate Palestinian Arabs as citizens• Only integrated Arabs living on borders

• Arab states• Arab League denied citizenship to refugees "to avoid dissolution of

their identity and protect their right to return to their homeland”• Palestinian refugees• UN General Assembly Resolution 194: "Resolves that the refugees

wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return

• expected early Arab victory

Camp David Accords (1978)• Signed by Egypt

(Sadat) & Israel (Begin)

• US Pres. Carter involved

• Led to 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty

• King Hussein refused to participate

• Signed for • Framework for

peace between Egypt & Israel

• Framework for peace in Middle East

• 3 objectives: • Arab recognition of Israel’s right to exist in peace• Israel’s withdrawal from occupied territories in Six Day War

through negotiations to ensure Israel’s security• Securing undivided Jerusalem

• Sadat spoke before Knesset in Jerusalem • Views on peace• Status of Israel’s occupied territories• Palestinian refugee problem

• Sadat opposed West & East intentions = revive Geneva Conference

• Framework for peace between Egypt & Israel• Phased Israeli withdrawal from Sinai• Guaranteed right of passage of Israeli ships through Suez Canal

• Framework for peace in Middle East• Israel gradually grant self-government/autonomy to Palestinian

Arabs in West Bank & Gaza Strip, partially withdraw forces for negotiations

• April 25, 1982 – Last Israeli forces left Sinai Peninsula