Common narrative from UNRWA is millions of Palestinian refugees still exist from theWar of Independence in 1948. What you may not know is that Israel has made multiple efforts to resettle the war refugees and were told they cannot by the UN and the Arab League. 🧵
The Arab League passed resolution after resolution after the 1948 war to prohibit any permanent resettlement efforts of refugees in host countries. The only permanent solution they were willing to entertain was right of return.
shs.hal.science/halshs-0034389…
Excerpts from UN Conciliation Commission paper on compensation for Arabs displaced from Israel in 1948.
In 1949, Israel proposed a full citizenship to all of Gaza’s residents, at this point, considered refugees. Arab leadership and Egypt has rejected this offer and held on to the territory for almost two decades without establishing a sovereign state. ecf.org.il/issues/issue/2…
In August 1949, Israel also offered to bring back 100,000 refugees of war during the Lausanne Conference in return for a peace agreement, to yet again receive a no from the UN.
In 1950 UNRWA suggested moving 150,000 of them to Libya, but Egypt objected. In 1951, UNRWA vetoed a plan to move 50,000 Palestinian refugees from the Gaza Strip to Northern Sinai when Egypt refused permission to use the Nile waters to irrigate proposed agricultural settlements.
In 1952, Syria rejected UNRWA's initiative to resettle 85,000 refugees in camps. In 1959, UNRWA reported that of the $250 million fund for rehabilitation created in 1950 to provide homes and jobs for the refugees outside of the camps, only $7 million had been spent.
In the early 70s, Israel initiated the "build your own home" program. A half a dunam of land outside the camps was given to Palestinians. Israel provided the new neighborhoods with services such as schools and sewers. The program was suspended due to pressure from the PLO.
The UN resolution 31/15 and 34/52 in 1971 condemned Israel for trying to get Palestinians out of the camps and into proper housing. Instead, Israel is told to leave refugees in camps and stop all housing programs.
Since UNRWA charter doesn’t include investments in infrastructure, much of its $230 million operating budget cannot address housing and resettlement.
We are nearing three quarters of a century away from a war that the world insists must not be settled but exasperated endlessly.
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