Palestinian Refugees? Why Not Return

Much has been written lately about the need to accept the right of return of the Palestinian refugees. 

The word “return” in international law is very clear; it means going back to where one has been before. So it can apply only to the people who left Palestine, not to their descendants who were born in another country.

Today there are less than 100,000 survivors from the 700,000 Arabs who left Palestine and became refugees, and they could be allowed to come back to Israel if they wish to, with only one condition; that they are ready to live in peace with their Jewish neighbors, as is stated in the UN declaration about Palestine refugees, which mentions ONLY the refugees but NOT their descendants: “Palestine 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.” 

 There is no other example in history where descendants of refugees are still considered to be refugees, three generations later.