BY TOPIC: Palestinian Refugees

In what is by far the world’s largest unresolved housing, land and property restitution problem, some five million Palestinian refugees retain valid restitution claims over their original homes and lands from which they have been expelled since 1948. These rights have been repeatedly re-affirmed by UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. Virtually all Palestinian refugees still possess title deeds, keys, photographs and other documentary evidence proving their rights to their original homes. Similar information is kept on file at the UN Headquarters in New York. Many experts agree that there can be no prospect of a workable peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians until all outstanding housing and property restitution issues are properly addressed.

“The Other Side of Israel: My Journey Across the Jewish-Arab Divide” [Book Review]

by Reilly Vinall | December 16, 2005 | Books

Although she arrived in Israel in 1999 as an ardent Zionist, over several years she became more and more interested in discovering the true situation of the Arabs inside Israel, who despite their sizable proportion of the population, seemed all but invisible to her.  This led to her decision to move to Tamra, a single Jew in a town of over 25,000 Arabs.  This was an unprecedented action in Israeli society. The deep friendships she developed reflect her view that despite the unofficial policy of separation that is actively promoted by the Israeli government, there is true hope of reconciliation and cooperation.