The Right of Return

In an earlier post I finished with a reference to the Palestinian catastrophe (“Al Nakba”) by suggesting that one way forward would be for them to view it as brutally occupied and stolen land rather than holy land for in their case, while here are many Palestinians who would also consider it holy land, it ultimately is land that has been unjustly taken away from a them. In the case of Israel, however, it is ultimately land that they, the Israelis, have stolen. In an interview with Norman Finkelstein, who was refused entry this week to Israel, he said that, as a Jew, he could try to pursue his “right of return” as embodied in the Israeli Constitution of 1948. However, he won’t as he doesn’t believe in this “right of return”. When I was teaching in the Lebanon I was confronted with people whose families had been forced to leave after the foundation of Israel, they showed me the keys and deeds to their homes. For their right of return there is a very strong case in international law. Therefore, what is the Jewish “right of return” based on?
Well for one the “right of return” or of making ‘Aliyah’ is not extended to those who are engaged in activities against the Jewish state, therefore, Norman would probably still not get in if he were to pursue his “right”. However, it is, more importantly, a “right of return” that is based on some biblical promise made to the children of Jacob, a very long time ago and for some time now they have been returning after a couple of thousand years in exile. It is a ‘right of return” that is extended to all Jews except those deemed to have been engaged in activities against the Jewish state or who have been convicted for serious criminal offences. Of course, it is nonsense and has about as much claim in international law as the Queen of England trying to assert her divine right to rule as an absolute monarch. Moreover, it also entails that the Palestinians might too be trying to assert a similar right a couple of hundred years down the road.
There should be no more Jewish emmigration into the area, Israel should withdraw from the occcupied territories, Jerusalem should be a shared capital for an independent Palestine and an independent Israel, Palestinians should be paid compensation for rescinding on their very real right to return and Palestinians should be given a viable country to live in. There could then begin a process of reconciliation that although based on one party, namely the Palestinians, waiving their very real rights would ultimately lead to a just peace and a future for everyone in the region.