(A week or so ago Joe asked a question if there are any scholarly researches into the feasibility of the right of return. I knew I've seen one and promised him to find it but could not find exactly its whereabouts. Finally I found it. It's a great extensive study of how could the return be integrated in a peace plan or solution.)
The Feasibility of the Right of Return
by Salman H. Abu-Sitta, who received his PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of London. He is the founder and director of a construction and development company which worked for the World Bank, Arab Fund, Kuwait Fund and others in the Middle East and Africa. He writes frequently on the Palestine Question and has been a member of the Palestine National Congress for 20 years.
"The Israeli-Palestinian/Arab conflict has arisen because of the Israeli conquest of Palestine in 1948 and the expulsion of its people in order to accommodate newcomers from overseas. The struggle is therefore about land taken and people expelled. The Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe, holocaust) has no equal in modern history. A foreign minority expels the majority of the inhabitants of a country, occupies their land, obliterates their physical and cultural landmarks in a military campaign that is planned, armed, manned, and is financially and politically supported from abroad.
Half a century later, there are 4,600,000 refugees, expelled from 532 localities, without a home, identity or a certain future. Their plight shook the foundation of the Middle East, toppled practically every neighbouring Arab government or removed its leader, caused five major wars and innumerable attacks. After 50 years of strife, it is abundantly clear that there can be no peace without them, and that they have no wish to go anywhere except Palestine. The yearning to return to the homeland is the core of the Palestinians' psyche. It is this unrelenting determination which has driven them to maintain a monolithic structure across many countries of refuge.
The infamous outcry of Golda Meir, "there is no such thing as the Palestinians", is but one of many myths fabricated in order to justify the expulsion of the Palestinians. Others, like "land without a people for a people without land', "the refugees left on Arab orders" and "War of Independence" for Israeli invasion, have been shown to be false, but not before political and material advantage was extracted out of them.
One of the persistent myths is the `impracticality' of the return of the refugees, on the assumption that the country is full of immigrants, the villages are destroyed and it is impossible to find old property boundaries. This view is advanced by the Israelis and adopted by well-meaning people who agree that the Right of Return is perfectly legal but cannot be implemented on physical grounds.
The legal aspects have been dealt with elsewhere in these proceedings. In this paper, we shall review briefly the circumstances of the refugees' expulsion and show that the return of the refugees is practically feasible, and even desirable for permanent peace to prevail.
Thanks for posting this. I haven't been able to look at it closely, but I did read it briefly. I'm not arguing if it is just or not, but all the talk about land areas and ethnic catagories is not something I consider an inspiring vision. Maybe that will be the way it will have to be when everythng is resoved. Personally-and I say this as an outside observer and not as someone who has a say in the outcome(I feel I have to put that caveat in because I'm Jewish)-I think the goal of any successful settlement would be to try to aproximate where the Palestinian people would have been in 2010-and that naturally would include the right to live and travel in their own country. I've always thought since there is suppossedly room for the 12 or so million Jews who don't want to live in Israel, there must be room for the 5 or so million Palestinians who want to live in Palestine. Recovering all lost property could be too disruptive for the new state, but it should be attained when possible. Settlement of returning citizens could give preference to the geographic proximity of where their families places or origin. Everyone should have full political and property rights. All the nationalistic and religious stuff the government should stay out of. That must be carried in the heart for it to survive, and when the state enforces it, it leads to facism.
ReplyDeleteThen there is the matter of all the hate. Not only have the Zionists taught their childen to hate, they have also taught Palstinians to hate. For this to all work out, there has to be some kind of general orientation away from the relationship of opresser and opressed.
Very interesting. Need to post on MJT.
ReplyDelete"The Israeli-Palestinian/Arab conflict has arisen because of the Israeli conquest of Palestine in 1948 and the expulsion of its people in order to accommodate newcomers from overseas." <span>Not true.</span> Palestine's population in 1948 was far too small. More people benefits an economy. Palestine had more than enough room for all its people "AND" any immigrants who wanted to come. What happened to Palestinians seemed to be more about emotion and ethnic rage.
Israel shot itself in the foot by not inviting the Palestinians back after the 1948 war ended. Israel would have been a much richer and more successful country with more successful Palestinian knowledge workers.
"military campaign that is planned, armed, manned, and is financially and politically supported from abroad." He probably means the USSR, East Germany, Yugoslavia and Eastern Europe. They were Israel's backers in 1948.
"After 50 years of strife, it is abundantly clear that there can be no peace without them" true
"and that they have no wish to go anywhere except Palestine." Most definitely false. Many Palestinians would love to become citizens of Gulf States, Syria, Lebonon, Libya, Egypt, Europe, America and other countries. Many Palestinians would love to work, conduct business and live in these other countries. Palestinians aren't allowed to because of anti Palestinian hate and racism.
A major arguement in favor of right of return is that it would turbo boost the Israeli economy. Imagine all the Palestinian knowledge workers working in tech companies, Venture Capital, universities (as professers and researchers), IDF, and every other profession.
One of my ideas for right of return is for 40% of all Israeli university admissions to be reserved for Palestinian students. Palestinian students should also get full scholarships [while non Palestinians should pay their fees.]
Upon graduation, all of these Palestinians should have the choice of becoming Israeli citizens with full civil rights and freedoms.
"<span>Personally-and I say this as an outside observer and not as someone who has a say in the outcome</span>"
ReplyDeleteWhy do you feel you don't have a say in the outcome? Is that because you feel American rather than Jewish? Is it because you feel Israel is an independent sovereign country that America [our country] doesn't have the right to offer ideas to or pressure?
If so, then I disagree. We Americans [including both of us] should advocate that America publicly befriends the Palestinians and uses what influence we have to advance their cause. To be sure, our country lacks the power to achieve justice for the Palestinians by ourselves. But as part of an international coalition, the US might be able to make a difference helping the Palestinians. Sometimes when America leads, it inspires other countries to also do the right thing.
I am outsider to this issue because I don't have any ties to the land or any claim to the land. One of my peeves about some discussions about Israel/Palestine is when American Jews elbow their way up to the table and act like they have some standing in determining the outcome. I don't like that whole concept-the United States acting like it has some standing in determiningg the government in Saudi Arabia, etc.
ReplyDeleteJoe, all Jews have a relationship to the ancient biblical lands [Ur near Nassiriyah Iraq, and the places where Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Saul, David, and Soleman visited and lived.]
ReplyDeleteBy the same token, so do muslims, christians and a lot of other people.
No single group of people, however, have exclusive rights to the lands of that region.
A question for you. Many of the holiest Hindu sites are in Tibet, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, etc. Shouldn't Hindus be allowed to safely visit these locations on spiritual pilgrimages?
"<span>One of my peeves about some discussions about Israel/Palestine is when American Jews elbow their way up to the table and act like they have some standing in determining the outcome.</span>" I think they have a right to their opinion. And I am glad that they care enough to be involved. What is not so positive is when people who have an opinion about the region don't bother to research the region. That "IS" scary.
However, suspect that Palestinians would welcome your help even if you are an American Jew.
"<span> I don't like that whole concept-the United States acting like it has some standing in determiningg the government in Saudi Arabia, etc.</span>"
You have a point about democratic free countries Joe. But when countries have harsh dictators that lack domestic legitimacy, it becomes an international problem.
Do you think it is right that the world seems complicit with the House of Saud in Saudi Arabia? Not just America, but every country? Don't you think that somebody on the planet should find the courage and determination to stand up to them? Even if only a little? Doesn't it disgust you the way the Gulf royals buy political leaders in countries around the world, including our country America?
Joe, isn't it wrong that there isn't an important country in the world whose leaders are not bought and paid for by the Gulf Royals?
I find it difficult to imagine that you weren't at least a little disgusted when President Bush bowed and kissed the hand of the Saudi dictator like a good little Saudi poodle. [Not that President Obama has shown any more courage on KSA so far.]
The only country that has partly stood up to the Saudis so far is Khomeini and Khamenei's Iran. Whatever Khamenei's other faults, standing up to the Saudis isn't all bad. :)
ReplyDeleteSaddam also partly stood up to the Saudis and was suffered the consequences. However, Saddam was one of the most evil homosapieans ever born in the history of our species and deserved far worse than he suffered.