Why indeed?
News reports suggest the U.S. administration is considering a historic decision to redefine who is and is not a Palestinian “refugee.” I hope the reports are true. A change is long overdue and could actually help the search for peace long-term.
Tragically, there have been countless refugees in the annals of history.
In the 20th century alone, tens of millions of refugees, if not more, were compelled to find new homes – victims of world wars, border adjustments, population transfers, political demagoguery, and social pathologies.
The 1923 Treaty of Lausanne codified the population exchange of Greeks and Turks, totaling more than 1.5 million people.
Huge numbers of Hindus and Muslims moved because of the partition of the sub-continent into two independent nations – India and Pakistan.
Refugees by the millions, unable to return to their countries, were created as a result of the 12-year Third Reich.
The exodus from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam after the victory of communist and rebel forces was massive.
Refugee flows from Africa’s civil and tribal wars have been constant.
Yemenis were kicked out of Saudi Arabia by the hundreds of thousands during the first Gulf War due to Yemen’s support for Iraq.
Countless Bosnian and Kosovar Muslims fled, or were expelled, due to Serbian aggression.
And this is just the tip of the refugee iceberg.
Instead of wallowing in victimization or becoming consumed by hatred and revenge, my parents started anew, grateful to their adopted lands for making it possible.
In fact, I don’t have to look far to understand the unending refugee crises of our times – or the trauma they have created. My mother, father, and wife were all refugees. Yet, instead of wallowing in victimization or becoming consumed by hatred and revenge, they started anew, grateful to their adopted lands for making it possible.
This past May, the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) counted 19.9 million refugees in its jurisdiction, with the largest populations being from Syria, South Sudan, Somalia, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Over five decades, UNHCR estimates that it has assisted 50 million refugees “to help restart their lives.”
And yet, of all the world’s refugees, one group – the Palestinians – are treated entirely differently.
Indeed, the 1951 Refugee Convention explicitly does not apply to Palestinians, who fall within the purview of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
There is no equivalent UN body for anyone else in the world.
The definition of a refugee under the UNRWA mandate is also unique. It covers all descendants, without limit, of those deemed refugees in 1948. This helps explain why its caseload has quintupled since 1950.
Unlike UNHCR, UNRWA does not seek to resettle Palestinian refugees, but rather provides social services while, in effect, keeping them in perpetual limbo.
And despite the crocodile tears shed by Arab countries about the plight of their Palestinian brethren, they have been among the most miserly donors to UNRWA. They assert that it is not their responsibility to care for refugees created by the decisions of others. The top five donors to UNRWA until now have been the U.S. and European governments.
By the way, I should hasten to clarify that only those Palestinians seen as victims of the Arab-Israeli conflict are given this special treatment.
During the first Gulf War in 1991, when Kuwait sent packing 400,000 Palestinians for their alleged backing of Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, there wasn’t much reaction from the international community. And more recently, while thousands of Palestinians have been dislocated by the Syrian civil war, again there’s silence. Arab violations of Arabs’ human rights are seemingly viewed differently, if they’re noticed at all.
And in Lebanon, with its large Palestinian population under UNRWA auspices, the government has long imposed strict restrictions on Palestinians’ right to work in numerous fields. Where is the outcry?
So, we are confronted by something unprecedented.
Palestinians are not the world’s first refugee population, but their leadership may be the first to resist a workable, long-term solution.
Palestinians are not the world’s first refugee population, but their leadership may be the first to resist a workable, long-term solution.
Think about it. In 1947, the UN offered a two-state plan to address competing national claims. The Jews accepted it; the Arabs rejected it. Or in UN-speak, the “proposed Arab State failed to materialize.” Had it been otherwise, two states could have emerged, and with any luck, learned to coexist. Apropos, to this day, that two-state concept remains the most feasible outcome.
Instead, the Arab side went to war. Has there been any war without refugees? Yet, in a case of reverse causality, Israel is blamed for the refugees resulting from hostilities triggered by five Arab countries.
Meanwhile, the Arab-Israeli conflict produced even more Jewish refugees from the Arab world (and Iran). They, however, resettled elsewhere with little fanfare and no attention whatsoever from the UN.
They’ve been used to create the single biggest stumbling block to achieving peace – the Palestinian fantasy of ending Jewish sovereignty in Israel.
Then, by design, the Palestinian refugees, and their descendants ad infinitum, were kept in UNRWA camps to serve as permanent reminders of the impermanence of their situation. Taught to focus their hatred on Israel, and to believe they will one day “return,” they’ve been denied chances for new lives. And they’ve been used to create the single biggest stumbling block to achieving peace – the Palestinian fantasy of ending Jewish sovereignty in Israel.
Even now, 13 years after Israel totally withdrew from Gaza, astonishingly, over 500,000 Palestinians continue to live in UNRWA camps there. Why? Gaza is under Palestinian rule, not Israeli.
While the Palestinians are among the world’s largest per capita aid recipients, much of that assistance has been siphoned off to line the pockets of Palestinian officials – who then turn around and seek more funds for their allegedly neglected people.
It’s the same absurd logic that Hamas deploys when it decries energy shortages, while trying to shell the Israeli power plants that provide electricity to Gaza.
The whole process is abetted by an elaborate, well-funded UN apparatus, encompassing more than just UNRWA, created by a majority of member states to support the Palestinians. By contrast, among others, Kurds, who have a compelling case for statehood, and Cypriots, who have lived on a divided island due to Turkish occupation, have no comparable UN bodies to advance their causes.
This is not to say that Palestinians have had easy lives. They haven’t. It is to say that their leaders, with the complicity of too many, have pulled off one of the most successful spin jobs in history. Rather than resettle the refugees, they have shamelessly exploited them and their descendants.
Therein lies the irreducible tragedy – and the heart – of a decades-long conflict.
(10) Bracha Goetz, September 25, 2018 5:50 PM
What an important piece!
(9) Lea Hetherington, September 6, 2018 5:06 AM
The Holy Land
God gave the Holy land to the Jewish people and this should be understood to all descendants of Abraham.
(8) Simon, September 3, 2018 8:13 PM
The Question beyond human solution.
The aspect of Palestinian history is tied to a promise just like Israel's. God alone can undo the complexity of the conflict and refugee thereof product. God said of Saul turned Paul for gentiles salvation sake... My grace is sufficient. To enjoy the superiority of Jew's in Israel Love is key, learning to live with the dissabilty of a bent elbow. With God everything is possible, God is Perfect ?
Benk, September 4, 2018 1:52 AM
Gpd gave israel to the jews
If your a bible believer youd know he gave isrsel to the jews.
If your familiar with history youd know miraculously he returned the jews from all parts of the world to their former home, as he said he will.
If your concerned palestinian arabs have no home they have gaza and rammala and over 20 arab moslem lands in land larger than the united states!
(7) Jeff, September 3, 2018 7:09 PM
Not to worry
Not to worry, now that Israel has openly admitted that it will never permit a fully independent Palestinian state, that opens up a solution to the refugee problem. Now that we know Israel will never give up Judea & Samaria, Israel can become a democracy by granting equal rights, including the right to vote for their rulers in the Knesset, to the Palestinians there. (Important note: These people are NOT refugees.) Then the third-largest faction in the Knesset, the Joint List, will overnight become the largest. Its first action will be to take down the fence around the Gaza concentration camp and let the two million prisoners there return to the land of their ancestors. (Ancestors they can actually name, unlike the Russians and Americans Israel encourages to "return.") There you go, refugee problem solved! Just don't accuse me of wanting to bring catastrophe on the Jews -- that's what people said when another apartheid state, South Africa, conceded majority rule, and South Africa is doing just fine.
Anonymous, September 4, 2018 2:05 AM
Israelis like nazis and racist south africa?!
Here jeff seems to compare the jew dogs (sarcasm) to nazis and white racists in one scoop. Note israel has different faiths free to worship and live and even sends people throughout the world helping in disasters while palestinians forbid jews and openly incite attacks against men women and children. Isreal need apologize to no one. Goyim take away all the homes and property of millions of their jewish neighbors kill most of their families and then want to now take away their one historic homeland. Lets see if Gods will or the enemies of Gd wins in the end
(6) Sue King, September 3, 2018 2:52 AM
I am so glad this side of the "news"I have hears about it all.
I am going to download this and pass it around. The impression I get is that it is the longest, never ending sibling rivalry (Isaac and Ishmael) ever. It is as if some people simply cannot you for being successful.
(5) BenK, September 2, 2018 11:01 PM
JUSTICE JUSTICE SHALL YOU PURSUE MESSAGE TO WORLD!!
In the Torah (Bible) It says Justice Justice Shall you Pursue! What does it mean by this EMPHASYS?!? NOT FAKE POLITICALLY CORRECT JUSTICE - TRUE AUTHENTIC JUSTICE!
It IS CLEAR AS CAN BE The Palestinians calling all their descendants refugees, even in Israel evacuated Gaza, is Part of the Larger Arab world Plot to Eliminate Israel and "Return this land to Islam"! The same is why they are addamant on the 1967 borders and no less! That would include Major Jewish holy historic sites such as the Jewish Quarter of Old Jerusalem, Rachels Tomb, Western Wall, Samuel the Prophets Tomb, The Jewish cemetary on the Mount of Olives, and the Tomb of the Forefathers and Foremothers of the Jewish people in Hebron! It would include the Displacement of hundreds of thousands of Jews from homes they lived in for Decades! And we all see the precedent of Israeli withdrawal by what happened in Gaza! Eveything is CLEAR! And in the West Bank the "moderate" PA Pay Terrorists that have Killed Jews in the sums of tens of thousands a year! The US even passed a recent bill to cut from Palestinian aid that amount. Britains Labour Leader Corbyn, who says "Zionists" in England need a history Lesson. The History just stated is clear. CORBYN and anti Semites like HIM NEED A HISTORY lesson at what happened Throughout History to those Major nations through the generations that tried to fight the Jewish People! THE ARE GONE AND THE JEWS ARE STILL HERE and Miraculously In Their G-d Given Land and Capital As Open Testaments that G-ds Will Prevails. The Enemies of the Jews are the Enemies of G-d!
(4) Anonymous, September 2, 2018 8:37 PM
Palestinian refugees
Palestinian refugees are different from all other refugees because they matter to us. They are our business and their destiny is tied to ours. And the best outcome for them will be the best outcome for us.
Alan S., September 2, 2018 9:59 PM
Really? Not to quibble, but...
Palestinian refugees matter no more and no less than any other human or refugee.
In addition, Palestinian refugees are absolutely no different than other refugees with one important exception: the Palestinian refugees choose to wallow in misery.
Furthermore, the Palestinian refugees are not 'our business" any more nor any less than other refuges that receive our charity.
Finally, It is true that the best outcome for them will be the best outcome for us, but this is the same as it would be for any other refugee group.
(3) Ellyn Berner, September 2, 2018 6:27 PM
The Perfect Summary
Thank you for this truthful accurate summary of the elephant in the room: a refugee situation perpetuated by the UN and UNRWA. Enough already.
(2) Fay, September 2, 2018 6:22 PM
aish.com
"Instead of wallowing in victimization or becoming consumed by hatred and revenge, my parents started anew, grateful to their adopted lands for making it possible." And that is why the United States remains free, because they choose to remain neutral, and unafraid of death, and non-conforming. Fear none of man(kind). Fear G_d! Don't believe in the words, ideals and squanderings of the image. Believe in the real thing.
(1) Anonymous, September 2, 2018 4:28 PM
UNRWA is the problem not the olution
You haven't even mentioned the fact that UNRWA officials have a vested financial interest in keeping this road show going from here to Eternity. Chris Gunness creams off $380,000 a year for a start. That's quite an incentive not to rock the boat.