Palestinian Refugees and their Right of Return
Palestinian Refugee Right of Return
To this day, the Israeli colonial-apartheid regime has denied the Palestinian people the right of return, a right repeatedly affirmed by the international community, primarily through the adoption of racist laws that regulate citizenship and residency as well as property and land ownership. Israel’s denial of the right of return directly breaches international law, which compels states to make remedies for wrongful acts committed and guarantee non-recurrence of said acts, and constitutes a violation of the Palestinian right to self-determination, which without the right of return for Palestinian refugees and IDPs would be incomplete. The international community must exert pressure on Israel to recognize the right of return of Palestinian refugees, and to implement it, starting with the revocation of all legislation and policies in place that deny return of all those displaced, followed by taking positive steps to facilitate the repatriation of all those displaced
Research | Al-Majdal Articles | Legal Interventions | Survey of Palestinian Refugees and IDPs
Research
- Palestinians and the Search for Protection as Refugees and Stateless Persons
- Papers of Palestinian Youth Conference Right of Return: Towards a Practical Approach
- One People United - A Deterritorialized Palestinian Identity
- Forced Population Transfer: The Case of Palestine: Denial of Reparations
- Stop the Ongoing Discrimination against Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon
- Trump’s so-called Vision/Deal of the Century: A Move to End the Palestinian Refugees Issue through Serious Breaches of International Law
- Do Israeli Rights Conflict with the Palestinian Right of Return? Identifying the Possible Legal Arguments
- Popular Sovereignty, Collective Rights, Participation and Crafting Durable Solutions for Palestinian Refugees
- The Role of International Law and Human Rights in Peacemaking and Crafting Durable Solutions for Refugees
- Rights in Principle – Rights in Practice, Revisiting the Role of International Law in Crafting Durable Solutions for Palestinian Refugees
- The 1948 Palestinian Refugees and the Individual Right of Return An International Law Analysis
- Palestinian Refugee Children: INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION AND DURABLE SOLUTIONS
- Returning to Kafr Bir'im
- Rights of return and self determination asserted in all international law
- Peace Agreements and Refugees – Lessons Learned
- Internally Displaced Palestinians, International Protection and Durable Solutions
- Palestinian Refugees and the Right of Return: An International Law Analysis
- Principles and Mechanisms for a Durable Solution for Palestinian Refugees
- Principles and Mechanisms for a Durable Solution for Palestinian Refugees: The “Taba Proposals”
- The Right of Return – An Analysis of Recent Debate in the Israeli Press
- The Right of Return and the Meaning of Refugee Choice
Al-Majdal Articles
- Forced Secondary Displacement: Palestinian Refugees in Arab host countries (Issue No.44, Summer-Autumn 2010)
- Palestinian refugees from Syria: Ongoing Nakba, Ongoing Discrimination 2 ( Issue No.57, Summer 2015)
- Palestinian refugees from Syria: Ongoing Nakba, Ongoing Discrimination ( Issue No.56, Autumn 2014)
- "Reinstatements" al-majdal Special ( Issue.No 50, Autumn 2012)
- Forced Population Transfer in Palestine; Thinking Practically about Return (Issue No.49, Spring-Summer 2012)
- Forced Secondary Displacement: Palestinian Refugees in the Gaza Strip, Iraq, Jordan, and Libya (Issue No.45, Winter 2010)
- A Role for Oral History - Uncovering Palestinian Memory (Issue No.32, Winter 2007)
- Palestinian Internally Displaced Persons (issue No.30-31, Summer-Autumn 2006)
- Restitution - Making Return a Reality (Issue No.27, Autumn 2005)
- Refugee Rights and an Indigenous Agenda for Human Rights and Democracy (Issue No.21, Spring 2004)
- Back to Basics: Building Durable Solutions from the Ground Up (Issue No.19, Autumn 2003)
- Why International Law Matters for Palestinian Refugees? Roadmap or Roadblock (Issue No.18, Summer 2003)
- Can Israel Separate from the Palestinians? Refugees, A two-State Slution, and an End to the Conflict (Issue No.16-17, Winter 2002 - Spring 2003)
- Racism, Refugees and Apartheid (Issue No.15, Autumn 2002)
- Jenin: War Crimes, International Law, and Durable Solutions for Refugees (Issue No.14, Summer 2002)
- The Jewish State and the Right of Return (Issue No.13, Spring 2002)
- Collective and Individual Rights: Palestinian Statehood and the Right of Return (Issue No.12, Winter 2001)
- Facing the Right of Return (Issue No.9, Spring 2001)
- Remembering the Victims of Sabra & Shatila (Issue No.7, Autumn 2000)
- Strategies for the Defense of the Right of Return in the shadow of the Final Status Negotiations (Issue No.6, Summer 2000)
- Stocktaking and Perspectives of a Broad, community-based campaign for the Palestinian refugees' right of return and restitution (Issue No.5, Spring 2000)
- Towards a Just and Durable Peace (Issue No.4, Winter 1999)
- Palestinian Refugees and the Final Status Negotiations (Issue No.3, Autumn 1999)
- Palestinian Refugees: Reclaiming the Right of Return (Issue No.1, Spring 1999)
Legal Interventions
- BADIL’s Written Statement, UNHRC, 50th, Item #3 (25 June 2022): The Ongoing Phenomenon of Palestinian Internal Displacement
- BADIL’s Oral Statement, UNHRC, 50th, Item #3 (25 June 2022): The Ongoing Phenomenon of Palestinian Internally Displacement
- BADIL’s Written Statement, UNHRC, 50th, Item #3 (21 June 2022): Upholding the Rights of Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon: Responsibility of Lebanon, Israel, and the International Community
- BADIL’s Oral Statement, UNHRC, 50th, Item #3 (23 June 2022): Upholding the Rights of Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon: Responsibility of Lebanon, Israel, and the International Community
- Written Statement, UNHRC, 46th, Item #2 (22 February 2021): The International Community Must Include Israel’s Violations of Palestinian Refugees’ Rights in its Accountability Framework and Measures
- Written Statement, UNHRC, 44th, Item #7 (28 May 2020): US President Trump’s Vision: Marginalizing Palestinian Refugee and IDP Rights and Deviating from International Law
- Written Statement, UNHRC, 41st, Item #7 (June 2019): Palestinian Refugees and IDPs:fortifying UNRWA and closing the protection gap
- Joint Oral Statement, UNHRC, 38th, (26 June 2018): Panel discussion on the human rights of IDPs in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement
- Oral Statement, UNHRC, 24th, Item #4 (September 2013): Equal Treatment of all Refugees fleeing Syria
- Written Statement, UNHRC, 24th, Item #7 (22 August 2013): Israeli Violations of the Palestinian's Right of Return and Non-refoulement
- Oral Statement, UNHRC, 21st, Item #4 (September 2012):Palestinian Refugees from Syria
Survey of Palestinian Refugees and IDPs
- Survey of Palestinian Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons 2019-2021
- Survey of Palestinian Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons 2016-2018
- Survey of Palestinian Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons 2013-2015
- Survey of Palestinian Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons 2010-2012
- Survey of Palestinian Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons 2008-2009
- Survey of Palestinian Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons 2006-2007
- Survey of Palestinian Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons 2004-2005
- Survey of Palestinian Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons 2003
- Survey of Palestinian Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons 2002
- Palestinian Refugees in Exile - Country Profile Packet
Protection Gap for Palestinian Refugees
A protection gap exists for Palestinian refugees worldwide due to the misinterpretation and misguided application of the 1951 Refugee Convention, the inability of the UNCCP to carry out its mandate thereby making it an essentially defunct organ, and the circumscribed mandate of UNRWA, which limits its work to humanitarian activities. In particular, the key role of the UNCCP and its termination has not been adequately considered by either UNHCR or any judicial authority with regard to what international protection obligations are owed Palestinian refugees. Until this issue is properly analyzed and corrected, Palestinian refugees will continue to receive lesser protection than they were guaranteed by the international community.
Research | Handbooks | Al-Majdal | Statements
Research
- Arab Protection for Palestinian Refugees
- Temporary Protection for Palestinian Refugees: A Proposal
- Physical Protection for Refugee Populated Areas
- International Protection Forces - Overview and Relevance for Palestinians
- International Protection - Overview and Special Protection for Refugees
Handbooks
- Closing Protection Gaps: Handbook on Protection of Palestinian Refugees in States Signatories to the 1951 Refugee Convention (2nd Edition, February 2015).
- Closing Protection Gaps: A Handbook on Protection of Palestinian Refugees in States Signatories to the 1951 Refugee Convention. (2010 update).
- Closing Protection Gaps: A Handbook on Protection of Palestinian Refugees in States Signatories to the 1951 Refugee Convention (August 2005).
Al-Majdal
Statements
United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA)
Originally established by UN Resolution 302 of 1949 to carry out direct relief and works programs for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA’s mandate has been repeatedly renewed in light of the ongoing Palestinian refugee question. It’s short-term but renewable mandate and the absence of mechanisms to address the natural growth of the Palestinian refugee population since its establishment, together with the predominately voluntary funding system which is adversely susceptible to world politics, have resulted in a chronic funding crisis for the Agency and decreases in the quality and quantity of services provided to refugees. It is the responsibility of the international community to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance and rights-based protections to Palestinian refugees and to act with immediate effect to resolve the funding crisis. Financing the essential programs run by UNRWA to ensure basic human rights must be made a mandatory obligation of the international community.
Research
- USA-UNRWA Framework Agreement: Assistance or Securitization?
- Causes and measures to resolve the chronic funding crisis
- Confronting the Campaign Targeting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Parameters, Principles and Recommendations for A Palestinian Strategic Plan
- UNRWA's Role in Protecting Palestine Refugees
- UNRWA - Between Refugee Aid and Power Politics
Statements
- 4 November 2022 - BADIL Welcomes the Renewal of UNRWA’s Mandate but Calls on the International Community to Address the Funding Crisis and the Mandate’s Limitations
- 2022 - The Renewal of UNRWA’s Mandate is an International Responsibility to Face the Ongoing Challenges
- 2022 - BADIL Commends UNRWA on Rejecting IMPACT-se’s Fallacious Reports: Educational Contents Discussing the Palestinian Narrative is a Right, Not a Form of Antisemitism
- 2022 - Mr. Lazzarini's clarifications are welcomed, but insufficient to end the UNRWA liquidation Project!
- 2022 - The GPRN and Palestinian organizations in Palestine and in exile address an open letter to the UNRWA Advisory Committee in response to the statements of Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini
- 2022 - Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Forum (Situation assessment): UNRWA and current and future challenges - on the sidelines of the UNRWA Advisory Commission meeting in Beirut
- 2022 - UNRWA is our Right until Return: Statement by BADIL Resource Center and the Global Palestinian Refugee Network
- 2022 - What do you Need to Know About the Framework Agreement Between US and UNRWA
- 2021 - Palestinian Refugees’ Right to COVID-19 Vaccine, Under the Supervision of UNRWA, Must Be Urgently Upheld
- 2020 - Addressing the Corona Virus Outbreak among Palestinian Refugees is the Responsibility of UNRWA and the International Community
- 2021 - UNRWA, Ongoing Target of Israel’s Normalization Strategy, Must be Upheld by the International Community
- 2019 - Renewing UNRWA’s mandate is the first step in securing protection for Palestinian refugees and IDPs
- 2019 - PHROC: Support UNRWA and Ensure Refugee Rights under International Law
- 2019 - Palestinian Refugees and IDPs: Fortifying UNRWA and Closing the Protection Gap
- 2019 - “UNRWA is Our Right until We Return” campaign: Phase 2
- 2018 - (13 December 2018) GPRN and Adaleh Coalition launch “UNRWA is Our Right until We Return” Campaign
- 2018 - (02 October 2018) Confronting the campaign targeting UNRWA: a Palestinian strategic plan
- 2018 - (02 July 2018) UNRWA: Causes and measures to resolve the chronic funding crisis
- 2018 - (28 June 2018) UNRWA’s essential services under threat, currently facing one of the worst financial crises of its history
- 2018 - (20 May 2018) Letter from BADIL Center for Palestinian Refugees to the Swiss Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ignazio Cassis, in response to his statement on UNRWA and Palestinian refugees