An Ongoing Anomaly: Pre- and Post-Second World War Palestinian Refugees

Abstract

Present resembles past with regard to the case of Palestinian refugees. This article shows that the plight of these refugees dates back not only to 1948, but to as early as 1925. The status of Palestinian refugees scattered throughout the world has never been resolved. On the contrary, each wave of refugees has been overshadowed by another, often greater one. While the 1925 influx was aggravated by a catastrophe in 1948, the latter was worsened in 1967. The issue of refugees was delayed until the final stage of Palestinian-Israeli negotiation by the peace accords of 1993–1995 but has never been negotiated. In reality, the expulsion of Palestinians from their homeland is an ongoing phenomenon. Nonetheless, the recent recognition of Palestine as a state by the United Nations General Assembly may open a window of opportunity for the effective, not legal, resolution of the refugee problem within the State of Palestine’s boundaries. This article aims to shed light on the initial stage of the Palestinian refugee problem, which started in the aftermath of the First World War, and to compare it with subsequent stages in an attempt to understand the various statuses that shaped the individuals who were affected at each stage. It seeks to propose lasting/legal as well as temporary/humanitarian solutions to a highly politicised global problem.