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Voluntary Refugee Resettlement: A Possible Solution to Clashing Visions for Gaza Reconstruction

(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Robert Satloff - How do we get from the current situation - an imperiled ceasefire on the verge of renewed warfare - to a post-conflict, Hamas-free Gaza that is ready for reconstruction? 75% of the population are formally registered with UNRWA as "Palestine refugees" (or, more likely, descended from those refugees). In other words, they publicly declare that they have no legal or national connections to Gaza. Given clear options, some Palestinians would choose to stay in Gaza and renounce their refugee status in exchange for the deed to a new home of their own. Others, with the promise of compensation, would no doubt jump at the chance to move, depending on how wide the doors to asylum, permanent residency, and even citizenship swing open around the world. Arab states argue that Gazans have such a firm attachment to the land that few would ever leave voluntarily. On the other hand, they reject the idea of voluntary relocation because they fear numerous Gazans would in fact take that option - more than their societies can absorb. As it turns out, Gazans have steadily emigrated for years with few political repercussions abroad. According to World Bank statistics, which combine Gaza and the West Bank, the territories have had 27 consecutive years of negative demographic outflow, averaging about 20,000 emigrants per year since 1998. In Gaza, a recent Palestinian research study noted, "Since 2007, local reports have confirmed that over 250,000 youths migrated from the Gaza Strip in pursuit of a thriving life in Europe." Before the war, in the month of August 2023 alone, there were 16,700 Turkish visa applications submitted by young adults in Gaza. Focusing on the concept of voluntary refugee resettlement could result in 40% or more leaving of their own accord, dramatically improving the prospects for expeditious reconstruction. The writer is Executive Director of The Washington Institute.
2025-03-11 00:00:00
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