Press Releases

A brainstorming and dialogue session to build a Palestinian strategy to Confront Israeli and US Plans to Liquidate Refugee Rights

BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency & Refugee Rights, in cooperation with the Global Palestinian Refugee and Internally Displaced Network (GPRN), organized a dialogue on Wednesday, 12 February entitled: "Liquidating the Refugee Cause and Rights - Replacing UNRWA, Dismantling refugee camps and Forced Settlement: Towards Building a Palestinian Strategy." One of the most prominent conclusions of the dialogue was the need to develop an action plan to confront the accelerating and growing attacks on refugee camps, UNRWA and the Palestinian cause as a whole.

The dialogue, which was moderated by Mr. Fouad Lahham, was attended by 75-80 participants from various organizations, popular committees in refugee camps, and active figures from political parties, academics, and those who are interested and/or activists in the field of defending the rights of refugees and the Palestinian people.

The dialogue included several topics that were put forward for discussion. The dangers of replacing UNRWA, and how to reject and confront the replacement of its services within refugee camps to ensure the protection of Palestinian refugee’s rights was prominent. Additionally, discussions highlighted the systematic Israeli regime policy that targets refugee camps in order to dismantle them, which was linked to the various forced integration and re-settlement projects that are ongoing to this day. Taken together, these oppressive and colonial policies aim to liquidate the Palestinian refugee cause and abolish the rights of return and self-determination. On that basis, participants discussed the roles of national institutions, civil society organizations and grassroots movements.

A nominated drafting committee summarized the recommendations from the session:

Building a comprehensive Palestinian liberation strategy that raises and amplifies the voice of the Palestinian people.
Confronting attempts to replace UNRWA in refugee camps, setting standards for dealing with such cases and institutionalizing them at the national level.
Intensifying mobilization campaigns and spreading cultural and national awareness about the current and future risks facing Palestinians refugees and their rights
Raise the ceiling of Palestinian official and civil discourse, and the responsibilities of national institutions
Political factions must assume their responsibilities and emerge from the state of shock and submission to restore the status of organized popular action.
Continue to hold seminars and dialogue sessions to follow up and evaluate the recommendations, and proliferate this model on a wider level

This dialogue was implemented under the “UNRWA and its services are our right until return” campaign launched by BADIL Resource Center and the GPRN to confront the Israeli-American campaign that aims to liquidate UNRWA and with it the Palestinian refugee rights.