Palestinian Refugees

How were there Palestinian refugees after the Arab-Israeli War?

Many Palestinian Arabs left their lands before and during the Arab-Israeli War of 1948-49. Palestine no longer existed and so they had no land of their own.

How many Palestinian refugees were there in Egypt in 1949?

7,000.

How many Palestinian refugees were there in the Gaza Strip in 1949?

190,000.

What was the worst camp for Palestinian refugees in 1949?

The Gaza Strip had the worst conditions in their refugee camps. Huge overcrowding meant shortages of water and food. It went from a population of 20,000 to 210,000 during the war.

How many Palestinian refugees were there in the West Bank in 1949?

280,000.

How many Palestinian refugees were there in Israel in 1949?

48,000.

How many Palestinian refugees were there in Lebanon in 1949?

100,000.

How many Palestinian refugees were there in Jordan in 1949?

70,000.

How many Palestinian refugees were there in Syria in 1949?

75,000.

How many Palestinian refugees were there in Iraq in 1949?

4,000.

Why did the Palestinian refugees think they should be allowed to return in 1949?

Palestinian refugees believed they had the 'right to return' for several reasons.

• ❖ They believed that expelling all Arabs from Palestine was the Israelis real aim.
• ❖ They felt forced from their lands.

What did Israelis think about the Palestinian refugees in 1949?

The Israeli view was the complete opposite to the Palestinians:

• ❖ The war was started by the Arabs so they did not create this problem.
• ❖ The Palestinian Arabs were not forced to leave but did so voluntarily.
• ❖ If they came back they would be a security threat to State of the Israel.

How do the Palestinian refugees live in 1949?

The refugees live in tented communities in neighbouring countries. Relief is provided by the UNRWA.

What advice did the Arab League give countries about the Palestinian refugees in 1949?

The Arab League told the host countries to deny citizenship to the refugees to maintain the Palestinian identity and to protect their 'right to return'. Jordan ignored this but Lebanon and Egypt followed this advice.

What happened when the Palestinian refugees tried to return?

If a refugee tried to return home Israeli forces were ordered to stop them. Some, called Fedayeen, returned to attack Jews and they succeeded on killing 153 Israelis between 1950 and 1953. Israelis always retaliated and killed Palestinian Arabs.

What happened to the Palestinian refugees at Qibya?

Israeli troops attacked Qibya in the West Bank. They killed 69 villagers and destroyed 45 houses. This was a reprisal for Jewish deaths.