Palestinian Diaspora

The Palestinian Diaspora was constituted after the creation of the 1967 and State of Israel which was accompanied by the wars of 1949 mainly). The diaspora takes into account the Palestinians domiciled apart from Palestine with a statute of refugees (Palestinian cf Réfugiés), but also of exiled and Palestinians citizens of different nationality.

History

Before 1967

The migration of the Palestinians is primarily related to the creation of the State of Israel, during which the army Zionist drove out the Palestinians of their houses, involving a great number of refugees.

The total loss of the ground for some, their occupation by Israeli colonists for others were the main causes of the migrations. The war of 1948 caused a considerable increase in the population of the West Bank because of surges of large many refugees. Between 1952 and 1961, 165,000 people left the the West Bank. 120,000 settled in Transjordanie and a little more than 40,000 in the countries of the Gulf. This tendency changed during between 1961 and 1967, approximately 125,000 people settled in the United States or in the countries of the Gulf with Kuwait at the head against 25,000 in Jordan.

Consequences

After 48: This massive emigration involved an unequal development between two banks of the the Jordan. The increase in the industrial weight of bank Is involved there the establishment of large industrial plant and a greater productivity. The Jordanian government encouraged the Palestinian emigration for a double goal. A goal économqie on the one hand because the naps repatriated in Jordan by emigrants constituted an important source of revenue for the country. The second goal is political because thus the government succeeded in bringing a solution to the problem of the unemployment which touched the young Palestinians. This policy involved the Palestinian brain drain and made bank western a nation of small shopkeepers and peasants and blocked the economic development of the area.

After 1967

Following the war of 1967, the West Bank is occupied by Israel which decides to annex the Arab part of Jerusalem. This war caused a massive exodus of the inhabitants of the West Bank towards bank Is. 254000 new refugees settled in Transjordanie, 15000 were originating in the Gaza Strip and 230,000 of the West Bank. The population of the West Bank drops then by 23%. The departures of June 67 are related to the air raids and with the engagements, the following departures are rather related to the policy of annexation carried out by Israel or because of the degradation of their living conditions.

Figures

The diaspora spread itself especially in the countries of the the Middle East close to Israel (indicative figures):

Jordan: 2.300.000 Palestinians;
Syria: 465.000 Palestinians;
Lebanon: 430.000 Palestinians;
Saudi Arabia: 275.000 Palestinians;
Egypt: 65.000 Palestinians;
the United States: 200.000 Palestinians;
Europe: 70.000 Palestinians
Iraq: 50.000 Palestinians.
Brazil: 40.000.-60 000 Palestinians.

These strong populations make weigh a heavy weight on the political stability of some of these countries (Jordan, Lebanon and Syria in particular).

Live in 2004 on the territory of old the Palestine agent (Israel + the West Bank + Gaza Strip):

900.000 Palestinians in Israel even (out Jerusalem-Is);
1.300.000 Palestinians with Gaza;
200.000 Palestinians with Jerusalem-Is;
2.200.000 Palestinians in the West Bank.

Approximately 350.000 Palestinians are dispersed between various countries of the Persian Gulf and other Moslem countries (Pakistan, Turkey, Azerbaïdjan).

Le Monde Diplomatique proposes two charts concerning the diaspora palestienne:

the Palestinian diaspora in the world, February 2000;
Of the million Palestinian refugees in the Middle East, February 2000.

See too

Internal bond

Palestinians in Kuwait

Documentation

Palestinians in Kuwait: history of an unfinished success (1948-1990) , Editions Harmattan, Assia MOHTAR KAÏS, 2004, ISBN 2747575330.

Sources

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