Israel and the refugee problem: from exodus to resettlement, 1948–52

Abstract

For almost two generations historians and Middle East scholars alike, have endeavoured to address and clarify much of the confusion surrounding the events and circumstances of Israel's 1948 War of Independence. Indeed, many of the uncertainties and dilemmas regarding the military operations, diplomatic efforts and strategic planning of the war have been thoroughly investigated and documented. However, other relevant issues pertaining to the 1948 armed conflict, such as the Arab refugees remain complex and largely misunderstood to the present day. In retrospect, there appears to be no clear-cut answer to how Israel succeeded in finding a solution to the problem of the Arab refugees within her borders? In other words, what were the factors, players, policies and interests contributing to the full assimilation of the Arab refugee population into Israeli society? Fortunately, the passing of time has allowed for the processing of old and new information, and the movement towards discussing the question of the Arab refugees of Israel's 1948 War of Independence may begin anew. For the purpose of clarity, this article has been broken down into three sections that cover the main processes and events between 1948 and 1952. The first part deals with the number of Arab refugees involved, which provides the necessary framework by which to gain a full understanding of the seriousness of the problem facing Israel and her neighbours at the end of 1948. The second section provides an analysis of the Israeli Government's official policy regarding the Arab refugee problem. The final section assesses Israel's ability to implement a policy and eventually reach a viable solution to the Arab refugee problem within her borders.