US and UN For The Question of Palestine

Week 15
US and UN for the question of Palestine
4 June 2020
• The United Nations and the
Palestine refugees
• How the UN deals with the question
of Palestine refugees.
Topics • The United State and the peace
process
• Overview of the US’s relationship
with Israel
• Deal of the Century
The United Nations and the Palestine
refugees
• Question of Palestine Refugees during

1948:
• How the UN dealt with the United
Nations
• Folke Bernadotte, 1948.5
• UNRPR, 1948.11
• UNCCP, 1948.12
• UNRWA, 1948.12
United Nations Mediator for Palestine
• United Nations Mediator for Palestine,
14 May 1948
• Folke Bernadotte, the chairman of the
Swedish Red Cross, tried to resolve the
dispute between Israel and Arab states as
well as the question of Palestine refugees.
• Bernadotte was assassinated by a Zionist
armed group on 17 September 1948.
• United Nations Relief for Palestine Refugee
(UNRPR), November 1948.
• UNGA 194 Resolution (11 December 1948)

• 1. United Nations Conciliation Commission (UNCCP)
• 2. Confirmation of the right of return for Palestinian
refugees
• Article 11: Resolves that the refugees wishing to return to
their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should
be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable 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; Instructs the Conciliation Commission to
facilitate the repatriation, resettlement and economic and
social rehabilitation of the refugees and the payment of
compensation, and to maintain close relations with the
Director of the United Nations Relief for Palestine
Refugees and, through him, with the appropriate organs and
agencies of the United Nations.
• United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), 8 December 1949.
• Missions of UNRWA:
• 1. Carry direct relief and works programmes in collaboration
with local governments
• 2. Consult with the Near Eastern governments concerning

measures to be taken preparatory to the time when
international assistance for relief and works projects is no
longer available", and plan for the time when relief was no
longer needed.
UNRWA’s Definition of the Palestinian
Refugees
1. There are persons whose normal place of
residence was Palestine during the period 1 June
1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home
and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948
conflict.
2. Palestine Refugees, and descendants of
Palestine refugee males, including legally
adopted children, are eligible to register for
UNRWA services.
Palestinians registered in UNRWA as refugees in
1951: 950,000
Palestinians registered in UNRWA as refugees
today: more than 5,800,000
Soruce:www.unrwa.org
UNRWA’s Services
Soruce:www.unrwa.org
• UNRWA and Arab states
• UNRWA signed agreements with governments of Jordan,
Lebanon and Syria for taking care of Palestinian refugees.
• Arab governments intervened in UNRWA’s operation.
• UNRWA and PLO
• UNRWA hired Palestinian staff would not allow to participate in
politics and being a member of PLO.
• PLO intervened in UNRWA’s operation
• UNRWA and PA
Solutions to the question of Palestinian refugees
• 1. Right of Return
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948, UNGA 194
Resolution, The International Covenant On Civil and Political
Rights, 1966
• Dilemmas
• 1. Israel rejects the right of return for Palestine refugees,
annexes lands of Palestinians and issues the Law of Return for
Jews overseas.
• 2. PLO and PA are no longer take the right of return seriously.
• 2. Reparation
• Questions: how to define amounts of reparation?
• 3. Resettlement in Arab states or other states: the

last resort?
Palestinian refugees in Arab states
• Jordan
• Egypt
• Lebanon
• Syria
• Other：Iraq and Gulf states
The United State and the peace process
• Overview of the US’s involvement in Israeli-

Palestinian conflict
• Deal of the Century

Overview of the US’s involvement in Israeli-
Palestinian conflict
• In the 19th century: American missionary
• Religious belief: the return of the Jews would precipitate the

Second coming of the Messiah and the unfolding apocalypse of
the “end times”
• American missionary came to Palestine for spreading Gospel

and modern educations.
• Church schools became the cradle of Arab nationalism

Christian Zionists
• Perspective on local Arabs

• Israel and Christian Zionists before 1967
• Israel and Christian Zionists after 1967
• The role of Christian Zionists in the U.S society

The US administration and Palestine before 1967
• King-Crane commission (1919)
• “Arabists” in the state of department on the 1948 War:

Palestine refugees was the result of the ethnic cleansing of
Palestine
• The US. official attitude on the Suze crisis in 1956.

• US. forced French, Britain and Israeli military withdrawal from
the Suez Canal under the threat of economic sanctions.
The US administration and Palestine after 1967
• The US. administration considered Israel as the most

important ally against Egypt, Syria and Iraq supported by the
Soviet Union.
• Israeli Lobby
• American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)
US and the Peace Process
• US did not play a neutral role in the Israeli-Palestinian

conflict.
• Why? The Peace Process is a crisis management for

the US administration.
• The relationship between the US and Israel is uneven

Deal of the Century
• Trump’s peace plan: “Peace to Prosperity: A Vision to improve
the lives of the Palestinian and Israeli People” (January 2020)
• 1. Jerusalem:
• “The State of Israel has been a good custodian of Jerusalem. During
Israel’s stewardship, it has kept Jerusalem open and secure.”
“Jerusalem will remain the sovereign capital of the State of Israel, and
it should remain an undivided city. The sovereign capital of the State
of Palestine should be in the section of East Jerusalem… the eastern
part of Shuafat and Abu Dis, and could be named Al Quds or another
name as determined by the State of Palestine.”
• 2. Palestinian refugees: Rejection of the right of return
• Options for Palestinian refugees seeking a permanent place of
residence:
• a. Absorption into the State of Palestine
• b. Local integration in current host countries
• c. The acceptance of 5,000 refugee each year, for up to ten years
(50,000 total refugees) in individual Organization of Islamic
Cooperation member countries.
• 3. “New Palestinian state” would not include Jewish settlements in

the West Bank and Jerusalem.

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Week 15

US and UN for the question of Palestine

• Question of Palestine Refugees during

• UNGA 194 Resolution (11 December 1948)

• 2. Consult with the Near Eastern governments concerning

• 3. Resettlement in Arab states or other states: the

• Overview of the US’s involvement in Israeli-

• Deal of the Century

• Religious belief: the return of the Jews would precipitate the

• American missionary came to Palestine for spreading Gospel

• Church schools became the cradle of Arab nationalism

• Perspective on local Arabs

• Israel and Christian Zionists after 1967

• The role of Christian Zionists in the U.S society

• “Arabists” in the state of department on the 1948 War:

• The US. official attitude on the Suze crisis in 1956.

• The US. administration considered Israel as the most

• US did not play a neutral role in the Israeli-Palestinian

• Why? The Peace Process is a crisis management for

• The relationship between the US and Israel is uneven

• 3. “New Palestinian state” would not include Jewish settlements in

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