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FALLMUNC
SPECPOL
Background Guide: Palestinian Refugees
Displacement of Palestinians: Refugees in their Own Land
In 1947, the British
handed off the issue of Palestine to the United Nations as the imperial
power relinquished authority over its former colony. During World War II
and the Holocaust, thousands of European Jews sought sanctuary on Israeli
soil, changing the dynamics of the Middle East. Although the United Nations
officially passed Resolution 181 dividing Israel and Palestine into two
separate sovereign states, it had little appreciable impact. In 1948 war
erupted between the Israelis, religiously Jewish, and the Palestinians,
ethnically Arab and religiously Muslim. The loss of homes and jobs because
of the war caused an exodus of Palestinians from Israel. Since the late
1940s, many more Palestinians have been displaced, primarily to Lebanon,
Jordan, the Gaza Strip, or the West Bank. Today, anywhere between 4.375 and
4.9 million people can be called Palestinian refugees.
Besides moral dilemmas,
numerous practical issues exist in the Palestinian refugee communities,
especially those in Lebanon. Unlike most Arab countries, Lebanon does not
grant the Palestinians residence rights: the 1989 Ta’ef Accords specifically
allow Lebanon to exclude the refugees. Additionally, Lebanese army check
points prevent materials for house construction and repair from entering the
camps. To make matters even worse, the Lebanese government plans to
demolish the settlements and the fear of becoming homeless breeds insecurity
amongst the Palestinians. Employment is another key issue. In Lebanon,
Palestinians do not have the right to work even menial jobs. But even
in more welcoming countries, 35% of refugee households fall below the
poverty line, making less than $233.3 a year. 15% of refugee families earn
only $113.50 a year. These ultra-poor families are often run by women
entirely dependent on social aid, severely limiting their access to health
care or education for their children.
Lately, international
financial support has decreased with disastrous effects on refugee camps
across the Middle East. Eastern European countries no longer send
professors to educate Palestinian students, and countries that formerly
offered asylum to Palestinians have closed their doors. This leaves the
United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) a heavy responsibility.
Their total 2007 budget approved by the General Assembly amounted to $487.1
million with the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, the European
Commission, Sweden, and Norway footing the bill. This year alone the Unites
States has pledged $3.5 million to UNRWA. Arab countries also supply aid to
the Palestinians, though not in conjunction with the UN.
UNRWA outreach:
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distributes food parcels to 220,000
families in Gaza and the West Bank distributing, spending about $136 per
person annually;
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provides schooling, running over 660
secondary and primary schools for the refugee camps. Some parents do
choose to send their children to religious schools, and in Jordan the
refugees are allowed to attend public school;
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manages about eighty percent of sewage
maintenance since most host countries do not extend national services like
sewage networks and garbage disposal to these refugee camps;
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acts as the main health care provider,
though their budget cannot cover hospital procedures or expensive
treatments. If a refugee had cancer or a life threatening disease, they
have look to charities, patrons, and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
for assistance medical attention. Lack of coordination and high costs,
however, limit the NGOs’ effectiveness. |
But while many groups
are reaching out to the refugees, there simply aren’t enough funds. For
example, the Red Crescent Society (a version of the Red Cross) spent around
$67,597 this year to respond to the needs of refugees in Lebanon. According
the Palestinian authorities, however, the refugees require at least $453,
581, 782. Below is a chart detailing the breakdown of their estimate.
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Sector Name
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Original Requirements ($US) |
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Agriculture |
11,348,860 |
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Coordination and
Support Services |
14,159,082 |
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Economic Recovery
and Infrastructure |
198,087,139 |
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Education |
9,065,057 |
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Food |
149,680,370 |
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Health |
35,653,117 |
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Protection/Human
Rights/Rule of Law |
1,708,686 |
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Water and Sanitation |
33,879,471 |
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Grand Total |
453,581,782 |
Your task is to decide
how the UN can acquire the money needed to care for the Palestinian
refugees. How much of the financial burden should be borne by the host
countries? What power does the UN have to appropriate funds? How can they
effectively solicit donations from member states? What part should they
play in allocating the money?
Some Helpful Websites
Statement from the
Commissioner-General of the UNRWA
European Union’s External Relations site
General Assembly press release
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