Understanding Israeli practices of forced displacement: the creation of dispossessed and displaced Palestinians

Abstract

Palestinians refugees are often engaged in two continuous battles; one for survival under the staggering conditions in refugee camps and the other in the pursuit of resettlement and return to their indigenous lands. In the very specific case of protracted refugees and displaced context, like the Palestinian refugees, the struggle is far more complex as they remain static and warehoused across refugee camps. It is within this indeterminate state where insufficient social services (i.e., health care, education etc.,) and on-going conflict coupled by forced displacement continues to cripple the livelihoods of Palestinians across the occupied territories. Further, with complete reliance on UNRWA services and other donor agencies (both development and humanitarian), a pattern of donor dependency has created a context through which the Israeli military-settler occupation continues to operate coincidentally with the local Palestinian Authority (PA) as a sub-contractor for security and administrative support. In light of the existing refugee population and with the on-going demolitions and displacement patters in what is identified as ‘Area C’ zones, existing literature must challenge the context and practice of Oslo Accords that continue to enable the dispossession and displacement of Palestinians. This paper probes the challenges faced by local communities through a legal and narrative perspective, shedding light on the on-going violations of international law, human rights, rights of refugees etc.