Israel Must Accept that Independence Has a Cost
|
|
BPNIC Memo, March 2009
Download
Memorandum in PDF (PDF, 112K)
Israel must accept that independence has a cost, and
that no settlement can be accepted without the recognition
of the Right of Return.
Jews from all over the world and
even converts to Judaism are allowed to immigrate to Israel
under the Law of Return; but in clear demonstration of
religious and ethnic discrimination, the indigenous Palestinian
Muslim and Christian populations are banned from returning
to their homes.
Israel refuses to abide by international law with respect to
the rights of the indigenous non-Jewish population. Israel
defines itself as a Jewish state and Palestinian refugees
are Christians and Muslims.
Under international law, civilians fleeing a war are
entitled to return to their homes.
- U.N Resolution 194 – (passed on 11 December 1948 and
reaffirmed every year since 1948)
"...the (Palestinian) refugees wishing to return to their
homes and live at peace with their neighbors 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".
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 10 December
1948
"Everyone has the right to leave any country, including
his own, and to return to his country" (Article 13 (2)).
- International Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Racial Discrimination, 21 December 1965
"...State Parties undertake to prohibit and to eliminate
racial discrimination on all its forms and to guarantee
the right of everyone, without distinction as to race,
color, or national or ethnic origin, to equality before
the law, notably in the enjoyment of… (t)he right to
leave any country, including one’s own, and to return to
one’s country" (Article 5(d)(ii)).
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 16
December 1966
"No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of the right to
enter his own country" (Article 12(4)).
The Israeli Government Policy of Maintaining the Jewish
Majority in Jerusalem
The Israeli government has a policy of maintaining the
Jewish majority in Jerusalem by a ratio of 73.5% to 26.5%.
The Israeli policy has been implemented since 1967 in
Jerusalem to reduce the Palestinian presence in the city and
these measures included the controlling and revoking
identity card holders inside the city.
Students who continued to study long years abroad have had
their ID cards revoked. Palestinians who married and stayed
abroad lost their right to be residents of the city.
Also, Israel, through its urban plan, has always controlled
the presence of Palestinians through the city by not
providing them with enough space, by not letting them grow.
Many Palestinians could not find housing for years and
sought housing outside the city instead. Now we find 70,000
Jerusalemites live in the West Bank area because they could
not find housing in Jerusalem.
Basic Facts Summary
- Israeli policy is maintaining Jewish majority.
- Israel is confiscating more portions of East
Jerusalem.
- Israeli actions threaten peace.
|
