Abstract:

The Palestinian refugee dilemma started at the outset of the Zionist invasion of Palestine in late 19th century. the Zionist Organization aimed at the establishment of a Jewish homeland on the Palestinian homeland. The Organization received Western support particularly from Britain which became a mandatory state over Palestine. Britain facilitated Jewish immigration to Palestine and encouraged the Jews to acquire land from the Palestinians by different means. The British adopted a policy of weakening the Palestinians and strengthening the Jews. The target was to force the Palestinians out of their country so as leave free open land for Jewish settlers. The Western colonial countries supported the Zionist and the British endeavor. The Zionists could capture wide areas of agricultural land, and with the help of the British they stated building the infrastructure of a state. They formed a police force, formed armed organizations, and established the nucleus of an army. The Zionists wanted the land without the Palestinian inhabitants. As the British were preparing to leave Palestine, the Jewish organization started carrying out pogroms (genocides) against the Palestinians. They committed mass killings in the cities of Haifa and Lod and in several villages such as Deir yassen, Tantoura and Dawayme. Under the pressure of Zionist terrorism, fright and poverty, so many Palestinians fled the country on the hope that the Arab armies will regain the land and force the Jews out. The Arab armies were not ready for war and were defeat. Since 1948, the Palestinians have been living in refugee camps under severe economic and social dire conditions in the West Bank, Gaza and the surrounding Arab states. The real bilemma is that the western countries insist on the return of the refugees to their homes and property in their homeland, except for the palestinians. These cpontries insist that the palesinians have no right to return.

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