Matt Dooley

21/2/2014
Kaleigh Nau


Right to Return Essay
Should Palestinian refugees be granted the right to return?
Do Israelis really deserve to say that Palestinians dont have right to return? Israelis say
that Palestinians dont have the right to return after they have left the country. As it was once
told after World War II, Britain had taken authority over Israel. Although Israelis dont want to
share the land, Palestinians should get the right to return to their homeland because it was
historically holy land to both isarailies and Palestinians. Both groups have been in the same land
for millennia. Palestinians should be allowed to return to the Promise land that they longed for
because Palestinians deserve to return to there homes after it was forcibly taken away by Israeli
soldiers in 1948.
Some opponents of the right to return believe that allowing Palestinians to return to their
homeland would overrun the Israelis and the Jewish population and they would become the
minority overnight. We shall never be able to agree, They wrote Israel can survive without
sovereignty over Temple Mount, but it cannot survive with the right of return. If the Palestinians
insist on it, there will be not agreement.(Nablus and Jerusalem, page 2) I think this means that
Palestinians would take over the majority of Israel. This is their land now so why do they have to
listen to the Palestinians. The land belongs to both of them. Isarailies wants to put Palestinians in
different countries. If it was Palestinians first but now its the Israelis. Who really owns the land?
Palestinians should be allowed to return to their homeland if they wish. It was there land
in the first place. If they dont wish to return to there homeland then they should get paid for
their land/property that they left. Resolves that the refugees wishing to return to their homes and
live in peace with there 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 damage to property which, under principals of international law or in equity, should be
made good by the Government or authorities responsible. (Resolution 194) Palestinians should
have the right to return because it was passed by the United Nations in resolution 194. A refugee
from Balata said, I will not accept an agreement that gives up my right of return. Israel was
responsible for my exile. And it must be recognize that responsibility. (The Palestinians right of
return, 2001) The quote states that this individual Palestinian refuses to accept and agreement
that will involve losing his property.
What if you were at home and your father called a family meeting. Then he said that
there leaving the house and you can only take what you can carry. You left your home and now
the issue is resolved and you want to return home. As soon as you try to return home someone
says that you cant. They said that you cant return because you are not this or that. How would
you feel? What if there was still something very valuable in there. What if you looked so forward
to going home and seeing your house and now youre not allowed to even enter your home
where your family lived? Palestinians should be allowed to return because if you had you
property taken away then Im sure you world want it back too. They should be allowed to return
to their homes and land if they wish because Palestinians have been driven out and now should
get the opportunity to return if they want their Promised Land back.