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The Discriminatory and Differential International
Response to the Plight of Former Jewish Refugees
The response of the international community
to assist Palestinian refugees arising out of the Arab-Israeli conflict
was immediate and extensive. There was no concomitant United Nations’
response, nor any comparable international action, to alleviate
the plight of Jews fleeing from Arab countries.
Both Palestinian and Jewish refugees
were determined to be bona fide refugees under international law,
albeit each according to different internationally accepted definitions
and statutes – the former covered by UNRWA and the latter
by the UNHCR.
As far as the response of the
United Nations is concerned, the similarity ends there. The contrasts
are stark:
a) Since 1947, there have been
over 681 UN General Assembly resolutions dealing with virtually
every aspect of the Middle East and the Arab Israeli conflict.
b) Fully 101 of these UN resolutions
refer directly and specifically to the ‘plight’ of
Palestinian refugees.
c) In none of these 681 UN resolutions
on the Middle East is there a specific reference to, nor any expression
of concern for, the 856,000 Jews living in, or having been displaced
from, Arab countries.
d) Numerous UN agencies and
organizations were involved in a variety of efforts, or others
were specifically created, to provide protection, relief, and
assistance to Palestinian refugees. No such attention or relief
was forthcoming from these UN agencies for the Jewish refugees.
e) Since 1948, billions of
dollars have been spent by the international community - by the
UN, its affiliated entities and member states - to provide help
to Palestinian refugees. No such corresponding international concern
or financial support was ever directed to ameliorate the plight
of Jewish refugees.
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