What the Guardian won’t report about Palestinian Independence: It wouldn’t solve refugee problem

H/T Margie and Elder

Those who are truly liberal, and genuinely seek peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and thus support a two-state solution in hopes of finally ending the bloody conflict, are no doubt operating under the assumption that such a deal would finally solve the decades long “refugee” problem.

They understandably would likely assume that, upon the birth of Palestine, all of the millions of refugees (and their descendants), those who claim refugee status and have been denied citizenship in the countries where they reside (such as Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Syria), would be immediately granted citizenship in the new Palestinian state – something akin to a Palestinian Right of Return to Palestine.

Think again.

Per a story in Lebanese paper, The Daily Star:

“Palestinian Ambassador Abdullah Abdullah spoke to The Daily Star Wednesday about Palestine’s upcoming bid for U.N. statehood.”

The ambassador unequivocally says that Palestinian refugees would not become citizens of the sought for U.N.-recognized Palestinian state, an issue that has been much discussed. “They are Palestinians, that’s their identity,” he says. “But … they are not automatically citizen.”

It get worse:

Abdullah said that “even Palestinian refugees who are living in [refugee camps] inside the [Palestinian] state, they are still refugees. They will not be considered citizens.” [emphasis mine]

He says statehood “will never affect the right of return for Palestinian refugees.”

That’s right. Even upon the creation of an independent Palestinian state, Palestinian leaders still insist on the right of millions upon millions of Palestinian Arabs to move to Israel.

Added Abdullah:

A two-state solution, as Palestinian leadership sees it, is not a solution to the conflict. This is only a new framework that will change the rules of the game.” [emphasis mine]

Palestinian intentions simply can not be stated any clearer than that.

It’s time for those sincerely engaged in finding a solution to the I-P Conflict to at least acknowledge this unpleasant reality. 

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