Refugees and Non-Refugees in the West Bank and Gaza Strip: Similar or Different Identities?

Abstract

This paper aims at studying the effects of the Oslo Accords on Palestinian identities of those residing in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with emphasis on comparing between refugees and non refugees living in these areas. Based on data gathered through a census conducted on Birzeit University students in 1994, and other data gathered from three census conducted on similar samples of adults from the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1997, 2001, 2006. This paper will especially endeavor to answer the following questions: Did the Oslo Accords have an effect on Palestinians’ identity in the West Bank and Gaza Strip? If so, is there a difference in identity amidst the residence of these areas and between refugees and non refugees?Available data indicated that during the Oslo era Palestinian identity remained, and after the establishment of the Palestinian Authority, the strongest identity amongst the residence of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Nonetheless, this identity lost a part of its power due to the implementation of traditional identities, particularly religious identity. The failure of the peace process with Israel and the deteriorating economical situation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, especially after Al-Aqsa Intifada, contributed in promoting Islamic Movements, in particular Hamas, thus promoting the religious identity. Whereas, the promotion of traditional identities - especially tribal, local or regional - was a direct result of the receding role of political parties particularly leftist parties. During this phase and with the support of the Palestinian Authority of these identities, in addition to the deterioration economical situation and the separation of Gaza Strip from the West Bank though imposing hundreds of military borders into closed areas (or cantons) during Al-Aqsa Intifada, tribal and local identities were reinforced. The data also indicates that there isn’t an immense, or clear, difference between the identity of refugees and non refugees based on the various census conducted. During the Oslo era the religious, tribal, local and Arab identities have advanced amongst refugees and non refugees, and these identities have assembled in its prominence to the Palestinian identity. The similarity between the identity of refugees living inside or outside a refugee camp and between non refugees, and the impact of the Oslo Accords on this identity, can be interpreted in terms of the influence of social and political factors to which refugees and non refugees are subordinated to (such as the establishment of a Palestinian National Authority in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the oppressive practices of the occupation, the failure of the peace process and the deteriorating economical status).Despite the similarities between the identity of refugees and non refugees, refugees are distinguished from non refugees based on their asylum identity (they feel that they are refugees). From the various samples, more than 83% of refugees said that they enormously feel that they’re refugees. In general this identity is a bit more reinforced amongst refugees living in camps in comparison to refugees living outside of camps. Also the majority of refugees living outside of camps (75% or more from various samples) indicated that they too feel that they are refugees.