Figure 1.--From thev beginning of the Arab-Israeli conflict in 1948, heart-breaking images of Palistinian Arab refugees filled newspapers around the world. Rarely do we see images of Jewish refugees. This is because the Israelis quickly integrated Jewish refugees into Israeli society. As a matter of policy, the Arab states refused to do this. As a result, there still are Palistinian Afrab refugee camps today, holding the children and grandchildren of the original refugees. The caption of this press photo read, "Arab child gets U.N. lunch: This Arab mother, a displaced Palistinian, spoons food for her chikld at the Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza. The food was from supplies provided by the United Nations. U.N. troops are guarding the Israel-Gaza border, which has beenthe scene of many Egyptian-Israeli fights." The photograph was taken April 7, 1957. By this time there was no longer any Jewish refugees from the1948 War left in camps. They had all ben integrated is Isreali society. There were, however, huge numbers of Palistinians Arabs still in dreadful Camps because the Arab governments kept them there. It is difficult to understand why the Palistinians were still in camps by 1957--astounding is thevfact that many camps still exist today. Photographer: Raoul Fornezza.

The term refugeees when mentioned in reference to Israeel-Paestinian issue is normally used in reference to Palestinians Arabs. We have found some serious misunderstandings about the Paestinian refugee problem. There is no doubt Large numbers of Paestinians did indeed flee from the areas where the Isrealis gained control. And there is no doubt that it was a bitter experience and the individuals suffered terribly. Historians report that during the 1948 war, large numbers of Arabs fled or were expelled from the part of Palestine which became Israel. There is some disagreement, however, as to why they fleed and to what extent they were expelled. Often ignored by Arab accounts is that the invading Arabs countries incouraged Palestinian Arabs to flee from Isreli occupied areas. Another often ignored subjects is the difference in treatment of Arabs in Isreali occupied areas and Jews in Arab occupied areas. Both sides recount horror stories thus this is a difficult assessment to make. A Palestinian source describes the Palestinian experience as the world's "oldest and largest refugee problem". Another Palestinian site describes the loss of "their property in one of the greatest acts of plunder in modern history". These and similar claims are simply not true. There were many refugee problems brfore and after and there have been quite a nunber of serious refugee crises of far greater magnitude. Even during the same period there were far larger refugee problems. The displace persons following World War II was far larger involving millions of refugees (1945). Just the German refugee problem after the War was larger (1945-46). As was the refugee problem following the partition of British India (1948). And there were actually more Jewish than Arab refugeees. Here we are not just talking about European Jewish refugeees, but Oriental Jewish refugees from Arab countries as well. There are many other refugee crisis we could list, many of which have been larger than the Paestinian refugee problem. It may well be, however, that the Palestinian refugee problem is the world's most enduring such problem. There are differences of opinion as to the numbers of Paestinians displaced from Israel. Perhaps the most commonly used figure is 0.7 million. We have, however, seen estimates ranging from about 0.4-0.8 million persons. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the Palestinian refugee problem to understand is why the Palestinians did not integrate into the Arab societies where they sought refuge. Many images highlighting the difficult living conditions Palestinans faced were taken in Gaza refugee camps. A myth about the Paestinian refugees, however, is that “Israel forced the Palestinian refugees to stay in primitive Gaza camps". The Arab refugees were left in camps and in some cases confined in those camps by the Arab Governments. The Palestinian ASrabs were never integrated, unlike the similar number of Jewish refugees from the Arab world, who were fully integrated into Israeli society

1948-49 Palistinian Refugees

The term refugeees when mentioned in reference to Isreael-Paestinian issue is normally used in reference to Palestinians Arabs, specifically the refugees resultuing from the 1948-49 War. There is no doubt Large numbers of Paestinians did indeed flee from the areas where the Isrealis gained control. There are differences of opinion as to the numbers of Paestinians displaced from Israel. Perhaps the most commonly used figure is 0.7 million. We have, however, seen estimates ranging from about 0.4-0.8 million persons. And there is no doubt that it was a bitter experience and the individuals suffered terribly. Historians report that during the 1948 war, large numbers of Arabs fled or were expelled from the part of Palestine which became Israel. There is some disagreement, however, as to why they fled and to what extent they were expelled. Here there is evidence on both sides. Often ignored by Arab accounts is that the invading Arabs countries incouraged Palestinian Arabs to flee from Israeli occupied areas so that there military operations would not be impeded and Palistianbs would not be garmed in the fighting. . Arab leaders and military commanders expected a quick victory. They were stunned by the effectiveness of the Jewish resistance. Another often ignored subjects is the difference in treatment of Arabs in Isreali occupied areas and Jews in Arab occupied areas. and the ways that the Arabs and Israelis handled the Arab and Jewish refugees res[ectively. Arabs I have discussed this with, generally avoid the topic. tend to avid this issue. Both sides recount horror stories thus this is a difficult assessment to make. While the modern focus is on Palistiniam refugees and their difficult experiences. Reading the modern dicussions, you would think that there were only Palistinian that were displced and made into refugees. Amist the debate and swirling charges andcounter acusations, there are several indisputavle facts. First, it was the Palistians and Arabs states that rejected United Nations partition plan and launched the War. Second, that there were both Arab and Jewish refugees. And the number of Jewish refugees is often dien played by not including Jews expelled from their homes in Arab countries and Iran. Third, the different way that the refugees were treated. Isrealis accepted the Jewish refugees and integrated them into Isreali society. The Arabs on the other hand tended not to accept the refugees and relegated them to camps and prevented integration. The exact circumstances varied from country to country.

Refugee Camps

The Arabs took a very different approach to the refugee problem. While the Isrealis attempted to integrate Jewish refugees into Isreali society as quickly as possible, the Arabs created camps to hold the refugees. The camps were designed not only to hold the refugees but to restrict their integration into the various Arabs countries, The specifific regulations varied from country to country, but the basic pattern was the same. Arab countries (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt (Gaza) restricted movement in and out of the camps. Some refugees were banned from leaving the camps. Restrictions were placed on the jobs they could obtain. They were denied a range of legal rights. One Arab author describes the conditionds, "Some of them have to jump over walls and sneak out to complete their chores or to breathe and experience the outside world. One can imagine these randomly and poorly built houses during the winter chill and sweltering heat of the summer among the sewage and insufficient services." [Al-Rashed] The United Nations through UNRWA provided reloef aid. It is not entirely clear why the Arabs took this approach. Surely one factor was that the refugee problem was a temporary one and that Israel would soon be destroyed and the refugees could return to their homes. Arab officials may have seen the keeping the refugees permanent refugees as a way to perperuate the conflict with Idsrael. Some officials may not have wanted Palestinians competing with locals for jobs and services. What ever the reasons, the Arabs countries created the camps and some still exist nearly 60 years later. Most of the residents in the czmps today were born in those camps. Lebanon's Nahr al Bared camp where fighting broke out with the Lebanese Army (2007) is just one such camp. There are still tens of thousands of people crammed into " undignified houses, where many of them were born and have lived for five decades." [Al-Rashed] Details on these camps are available on UNRWA's website. The refugee camp issue is not one commonly discussed in the Arab world. One Arab writer complains, "It is a shame. How can we talk about the liberation of Palestine, which we simply associate with stolen land, a desecrated mosque and a powerful enemy, while we do not allow Palestinians to settle down, earn a living or travel like all other human beings?"

Major Refugee Problems

A Palestinian source describes the Palestinian experience as the world's "oldest and largest refugee problem". Another Palestinian site describes the loss of "their property in one of the greatest acts of plunder in modern history". These and similar claims are simply not true. There have been many refugee problems before and after and there have been quite a number of serious refugee crises of far greater magnitude. Even during the same period there were far larger refugee problems. The displace persons following World War II was far larger involving millions of refugees (1945). Just the German refugee problem after the War was larger (1945-46). As was the refugee problem following the partition of British India (1948). In none these instances were the problems solved by war and terroism. Nor were reparations and moving the refugees back to their country. In each instance the resolution of the problem was to integrate the refugees into the society where they foound themselves.

Comparison with Jewish Refugee Problem

There were actually more Jewish than Arab refugeees. Here we are not just talking about European Jewish refugeees, but Oriental Jewish refugees from Arab countries as well. There are many other refugee crisis we could list, many of which have been larger than the Paestinian refugee problem.

Enduring Problem

It may well be that the Palestinian refugee problem is the world's most enduring such problem. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the Palestinian refugee problem to understand is why the Palestinians did not integrate into the area of Palestine in which the Arabs retained after the 1949 Ceasfire or the Arab societies where they sought refuge. Many images highlighting the difficult living conditions Palestinans faced were taken in Gaza refugee camps. A myth about the Paestinian refugees, however, is that “Israel forced the Palestinian refugees to stay in primitive Gaza camps". The Arab refugees were left in camps and in some cases confined in those camps by the Arab Governments involved. The Palestinian Arabs were never integrated, unlike the similar number of Jewish refugees from the Arab world, who were fully integrated into Israeli society. The Front Line Arab states

Sources

Al-Rashed, Abdul Rahman. "40 Years: The Real Stigma," As Sharq al Awsat (June 9, 2007). As Sharq al Awsat is a Saudi-supported newspaper published in London. Rahman is the general manager of Al-Arabiya television. He is the former editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat. He has worked with Al Majalla, the leading Arabic weekly magazine. He is also a senior Columnist in the daily newspapers of Al Madina and Al Bilad. He frequently appears on TV current affairs programs. At the time he wrote this article he was based in Dubai.

Created: 9:50 PM 5/19/2007
Last updated: 10:48 PM 9/16/2015