Case Study: The Palestinian Refugees

The Modern Mid East  Modern ME is home to various struggles and conflicts…  Terrorism, religious conflict, etc…  One conflict is between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

Palestinian Territory Israel Jerusalem

The Land

Zionism  The Jews have been persecuted frequently throughout history. DIASPORA - Romans - Black Plague - Crusades - WWI - WWII – Holocaust  The Zionist movement sought to rebuild a Jewish state in Palestine.

The British  Controlled the area during WWI  Set up an official home for the Jews in Palestine.  Jews began migrating to the area in large numbers.  Increased after WWII

Tension  The area had been inhabited by Arabs for hundreds of years.  Both the Arabs and the Jews felt they had the right to the land. Tension began to grow.  Britain turned the problem over to the U.N.

Israel-Palestine Split  The U.N. partitioned Palestine into a Jewish state and a Arab state (1946) ISRAEL – Jewish state PALESTINIAN STATE - Arab  Jews accepted the plan.  Arabs felt like they were being kicked out.

1948 War  U.S. and Soviet Union agreed to recognize Israel.  Arabs launched military attacks.  Israel was much stronger and gained even more land.  This war displaced about 700,000 Arabs from Palestine.

The Refugees  Refugees are located in: - West Bank - Gaza - Syria - Lebanon - Jordan

West Bank Refugees  West Bank =majority  Some are controlled by Israel  Others are controlled by the PA (Palestinian Authority)

Conditions  Overcrowded  Movement is restricted by Israel  Poor economic conditions  High poverty  Limited work  Severe persecution  Conditions vary a lot!

Peace Efforts  Leaders are talking again –  Issues they must confront: - Refugees (right of return?) - Borders? - Settlement building - Jerusalem?  Until then, the Palestinian people have no home