Right of Return
Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that: “Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.” Within the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Right of Return has two controversial connotations: 1) For the descendants of the 700,000-800,000 Palestinians who became refugees during the period of the creation of the State of Israel in 1948 as well as for the Palestinian refugees from the War in 1967, the Right of Return refers to their right to return to their pre-1948 and/or pre-1967 homes and lands and to receive compensation if they freely choose not to return. United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194 affirms this right, but it has yet to be implemented. The Right of Return for Palestinians remains one of the main issues to be resolved in a political solution between Israel and the Palestinians. 2) By contrast, under the Israeli Law of Return, the Right of Return refers to the right of all Jews worldwide to immigrate to Israel, receive Israeli citizenship, and live as full citizens. The Law of Return was meant to facilitate the ingathering of all Jews worldwide and to fulfill the Zionist aim of creating a refuge in the State of Israel for Jews fleeing persecution and anti-Semitism. For documents relating to the right of return for Palestinian refugees, see “Israel, Palestine and the Occupied Territories…” Global Policy Forum. 18 July 2011. http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/israel-palestine/returnindex.... For the text of the Israeli Law of Return and its amendments, see “Law of Return: 5710-1950” Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 18 July 2011. http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/1950_1959/Law+of+Return+5710-1950.htm. http://www.justvision.org/glossary/right-return
