The Palestinian Diaspora and the State of Israel

The Palestinian Diaspora refers to the 6 million refugees living outside of Palestine since Britain's creation of the State of Israel in 1948. Palestinians refer to the signing of Resolution 181 as Al-Nakba or "the catastrophe" (Poppert). As Poppert explains, Resolution 181 was the United Nation's Partition Plan for Palestine; "to divide the territory between Palestinian Arabs and Jewish immigrants" seeking refuge in their homeland after WWII. To clarify, Palestinian Arabs are simply non-Jewish natives of Palestine, an area considered sacred to both Muslims, Jews, and Christians. With the establishment of Israel, Palestinians argued that neither historical Roman discrimination of Jews nor the Holocaust nullified Palestinians' rights as legal residents and property owners in Palestine (Poppert). This coincides with much of Resolution 181's criticism today, viewing it as partially motivated by Western powers' guilt for 'allowing' the Holocaust. Shortly after the Partition Plan was put into effect in 1948, Zionist leaders belligerently initiated guerrilla warfare against Palestinians, known as the Arab-Israeli War (1948-1949), attacking villages to expand the Jewish-controlled territory and cleanse the Palestinian population from the inside of Israel (Poppert). Almost twenty years later in 1967, Israeli units came in control of areas that had previously been captured by Jordanian and Egyptian forces in the Arab-Israeli War culminating in the "Six Day War" (Poppert). This conflict marked the beginning of Israeli expansionism, aimed at gaining as much possible territory and displacing as many Palestinians by way of annexations and an ongoing agreement that, as Poppert illustrates, "violates both UN security council resolutions and the Geneva Convention," inherently violating international law. Though these are flagrant violations of international law, no trials or convictions have been pursued in international criminal court. 

Since the Six Day War, Palestinians have faced heinous repression in occupied territory where displays of Palestinian Nationalism result in collective punishments such as the closure of neighborhoods, laws preventing steady employment, curfews that could put whole communities on house arrest for months at a time, and even denial of basic utilities like water and electricity (Poppert). This criminal repression has led to the Palestinian Intifada, the first from 1987-1993 and a Second Intifada from 2000-2005 (Poppert). The Intifadas are characterized by violent uprisings, bombings and riots rebelling against Israeli control. 

However, it appears as if the majority of Israeli behavior completely violates UN Resolution 194, stating: "Refugees who wish to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practical date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to, property which under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the governments or authorities responsible." 

Since it's inception in 1949, Resolution 194 has been reaffirmed, according to Poppert, more than 110 times. Interpretation of Resolution 194 has led to two schools of thought: Right to Return versus Compensation. The UNRWA, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, created in 1949 tends to advocate for both the Right to Return and compensation (Poppert). While repatriation remains a goal, the UNRWA seeks to integrate Palestinians into their new 'homes' through education, health and social programs. The UNRWA is most known for the camps they have established in the Middle East (Poppert). These camps of entirely refugees have created a prominent camp culture and have emphasized Palestinian identity, highlighting the importance of family, clans, and villages (Poppert). While the UNRWA has benevolently created a makeshift home, refugees are denied basic civil rights in most territories, especially Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon (Poppert). Camps exist in chronic poverty, overcrowded conditions, and a low standard of living, reinforcing an overall sense of powerlessness and despair (Poppert). In Gaza and the West Bank, Israeli closures and curfews have made it difficult for refugees to maintain employment and socioeconomic conditions in camps have plummeted (Poppert). Lebanon is the least welcoming to refugees, granting them no social or civil rights and limiting all access to government, public health and education (Poppert). Furthermore, Lebanese law has prevented refugees from working in over seventy trades and professions and has left refugees entirely stateless. Alternatively, Jordan has granted full citizenship to Palestinian refugees and their descendants and Syria has well integrated refugees into the economy as well as social and political life (Poppert). In the rest of the world, interestingly enough, there is little real data about Palestinian refugee populations (Poppert). 

Many misinterpret the Israeli-Palestine conflict as a purely religious dispute. While religion does play a factor, especially when justifying violence, the conflict is rooted in European imperialism primarily in the twentieth century. Indeed, there has been conflict between Arab Muslims and Jews since the dawn of both traditions, however, even these conflicts can be traced back to the aftermath of ancient conquests of Judah and Israel. Personally, I cannot grasp the Israeli violence and anger that lies behind their actions. Jews have more than twice the amount of Palestinians in the Diaspora and while there are campaigns like Birth Right, it would appear that Israeli action isn't focused on returning Jews to the land of Abraham but is motivated by a political power struggle. I understand that Jews have faced oppression and discrimination for centuries, however, the UN's refusal to hold Israeli leaders and policies accountable for their crimes only perpetuates violence as a proper means of acquisition of power. As many cartoonists and political thinkers have pointed out concerning the conflict; "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." Exacting revenge on Palestinians for the Siege of Jerusalem in 637 CE and the construction of the Dome of the Rock in 691 CE, seems misplaced especially when these actions pale in comparison to the atrocities committed by Christians to both groups during the Crusades. If anything, the logical argument would unite Palestinians and Jews against the untrustworthy Christians. I'm not promoting violence or war or hatred or any other equivalent crime against humanity, however, after researching the topic, I haven't reached any logical conclusion, usually achievable upon brief investigation of a historical conflict. 

Cited Works:

• Poppert, Derek. "The Palestinian Diaspora: A History of Dispossession." The Palestinian Diaspora.Global Exchange, 28 Nov. 2002. Web. 24 Mar. 2015. <http://www.globalexchange.org/country/palestine/diaspora>.

Images:

• Shapiro, Jonathan. It's Almost Supernatural. Digital image. Sunday Times. 12 July 2006. Web
• Disappearing Palestine. Digital image. Palestine Awareness Coalition. 1 Aug. 2014. Web.

The Jewish Diaspora

The Jewish Diaspora can be defined as the dispersion of Jewish culture and heritage. Historically, the Jewish Diaspora was the first documented ethnic diaspora and began in 587 BCE when Judea was conquered by the Babylonians (Kress). The Babylonians destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem believed to have been built by King Solomon and exiled prominent Jewish citizens in a period known as the Babylonian Captivity.

Since then, Jewish people have dispersed across the globe and leading to tremendous diversity. Currently there are 13.4 million Jews in the world; 5 million living in Israel and 8 million living in the diaspora (Kress). Across the globe, Jews face different challenges. For example, the estimate 6.4 million Jews living in North America struggle with increased rates of intermarriage and decreasing rates of conversion while Jews in Europe currently face near constant immigration due, in part, to the cultural milieu of a Post-Soviet world (Kress). Also, in Europe, more so than North America, many countries face anti-semitic incidents while Jews seek to establish a stronger Jewish community, like the more recent surge of Neo-Nazism after the creation of the EU or the 1994 bombing of Buenos Aires Jewish Community Center (Kress). In the Middle East, with the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, hundreds of thousands of refugees flooded back in a Zionist wave (Kress). In Africa, Jewish communities are incredibly efficient and cohesive (Kress). There is evidence of Jewish presence in Africa soon after the Babylonian captivity, primarily in Egypt and East Africa. In East Asia and Oceania, small populations of Jews exist, however, they exhibit stronger community ties and faith than some countries with larger populations (Kress).

Biblically and historically, Jewish faith is grounded in Israel, holy land considered to be that of Abraham (White). Religiously, it is part of Jewish mitzvah, or law, to make it back to Israel. While it is clear that Jews inhabit every part of the world today, religiously and socially, they are not truly "at home" (White). Adding to this homelessness, Jews have faced many hardships (to put it lightly) instigated by anti-semitic ideals with a basis in religious interpretation ("Christ killers") and the historical advancement of Jews (in 1933, 1% of German population was Jewish but 10% of German medical doctors were Jewish and 20% of German lawyers were Jewish). Because of the history of Jews, many have found it easy to discriminate or base personal misfortune on the fortune of the Jews. By examining the Jewish Diaspora, people have the ability to understand how a people group spreads across the globe while also perceiving the social, political and economic implications of such a dispersion.

• "The Jewish Diaspora - My Jewish Learning." The Jewish Diaspora - My Jewish Learning. Ed. Michael Kress. MyJewishLearning, 1 Jan. 2011. Web. 12 Feb. 2015. <http://www.myjewishlearning.com/history/Jewish_World_Today/Jews_Around_the_Globe.shtml?p=3>.
• White, L. Michael. "The Jewish Diaspora." Frontline. PBS, 1 Apr. 1998. Web. 23 Mar. 2015. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/portrait/diaspora.html>.
• The Western Wall. 2015. Travel, Jerusalem, Israel. By Dan Hallman.