Published March 27th, 2007 by Future Atlas
Palestinians: less intent on “returning”
The NYT reports on a key issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: the Palestinians “right of return”.
Some 700,000 Palestinians were driven or fled from their homes at Israel’s founding in 1948, and their descendants number some 4.3 million, based on UN refugee numbers. So “returning” to Israel might be morally reasonable, but is practically extreme, as it would swamp the Jewish majority.
The article suggests some positive changes:
- While Palestinians insist on the right, more grant that it is impractical, or not what they would actually want to do if given the choice.
- Polling suggests that many Palestinians want acknowledgement of the justice of their cause, but would be willing to compromise if that acknowledgment was made, and most would not move back to the Israel if given the option.
A Palestinian shift could enhance the potential of a 5-year-old Arab League proposal to
offer the Jewish state normal ties with all Arab countries if it fully withdraws from land it occupied in 1967, accepts a Palestinian state and agrees to a “just solution” for Palestinian refugees.
If the Palestinians can step back from the more extreme versions of their national narrative, it can be hoped that the Israelis can do the same.