DOCSLIB.ORG

Palestinian Christians Ongoing Forcible Displacement and Dispossession… Until When?

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Palestinian Christians Ongoing forcible displacement and dispossession… until when? Palestinians and international supporters at a weekly vigil in solidarity with Cremisan Monastery whose lands are threatened by the Israeli Annexation Wall. (Photo by Kairos Palestine) Palestinian Christians Ongoing forcible displacement and dispossession… until when? Published by: December 2012 Palestinian Christians - Ongoing forcible displacement and dispossession… until when? ©BADIL/Kairos Palestine, December 2012 Research Team: Amjad Alqasis; Simon Reynolds; Martha Tonsern. Design and Layout: Atallah Salem Printing: al-Ayyam Printing, Press, Publishing, and Distribution Company ISBN: 978-9950-339-34-7 Publisher: BADIL/ Kairos Palestine © All Rights Reserved Cover Photo: Graffiti on Israel’s Annexation Wall in Bethlehem. (Photo by BADIL/RW) Credit and Notations Many thanks to Nora Carmi, Rifat Kassis, Najwa Darwish, Yasmine Khoury, Brona Higgins and all who have supported BADIL and Kairos Palestine throughout this research project and in particular to all interview partners who have set the foundation for this publication. We would also like to thank Father Dr. Jamal Daibes for contributing the theological reflection. Any quotation of up to 500 words may be used without permission provided that full attribution is given. Longer quotations or entire chapters or sections of this study may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature, without the express written permission of BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Right or Kairos Palestine. Introduction For over 2000 years, the city of Jerusalem and the town of Bethlehem have held a The earth is the LORD’s, and deeply significant, enduring connection everything in it, the world, and all with one another. This connection is who live in it (Ps 24, 1) forged by cornerstone events of the ،Christian faith – those of the birth crucifixion and resurrection of Christ – but also by virtue of geographical proximity This paper seeks to draw attention to the and the strong relationships between the forcible displacement of the Palestinian Christian communities there, and in the people and the resulting human impact surrounding areas. However, the Israeli on the overall population, though with a military occupation of Palestine and the particular focus on the Christian element. accompanying construction of the illegal For this purpose, a general overview of Annexation Wall and its associated regime the situation will be provided, alongside have served to fracture this connection, a series of case studies concerning the with Jerusalem and Bethlehem now personal experiences of Christian families physically separated on opposing sides in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Finally, the of a barrier which is impregnable to the paper will present recommendations on majority of the Palestinian Christian the issue at hand. Each case study will seek community. to explore and explain a key issue, with Recent research places the number of each supported by powerful testimony individuals within this community at a from members of the Palestinian Christian figure in excess of 51,000. population. These testimonies are drawn from extensive interviews conducted Regarding Christian localities in terms of between August-October 2012 by Kairos concentration, the Bethlehem Governorate Palestine and BADIL Resource Center for is home to the highest percentage of Palestinian Residency Rights and Refugee Christians in Palestine (43.4%), followed Rights. The names of the individuals who by the Ramallah Governorate (24.7%), and provided these testimonies have been 1 Jerusalem (17.9%). changed, as in each case the participant fears that their involvement in this project 1 Kassis, Rifat; Al Qass Collings, Rania; Raheb, Mitri: may draw negative reprisals on behalf of Palestinian Christians in the West Bank – Facts, the Israeli authorities. We thank each one Figures and Trends (Second revised edition), Bethlehem: Diyar Publisher (2012) p.10. for their courage. 5 Theological Reflection All human beings have the same dignity and rights, regardless of race, sex, nationality or religion. Denying individuals or groups God created the earth and everything in it, their rights based purely on the fact that and then, after creating the human beings they are Palestinian is contrary to the plan in His image and resemblance, He said: of God for his creatures. Sacrificing the “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill lives, rights and dignity of human beings the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish for the land is contrary to the plan of God, in the sea and the birds in the sky and over as He created the land for the benefit every living creature that moves on the of human beings, not the opposite. The ground”. God created the earth for benefit prophets warn us against the “idolatry of of men and women. the land”, as we read in Kings 21. Palestinians and international supporters at a weekly vigil in solidarity with Cremisan Monastery whose lands are threatened by the Israeli Annexation Wall. (Photo by Kairos Palestine) 6 In 1 Kings 21, we read: “Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 And Ahab spoke unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. 4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. 5 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is your spirit so sad, that you eat no bread? 6 And he said unto her, Because I spoke to Naboth, and said to him, Give me your vineyard… and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard… 7 Jezebel his wife said to him…: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. 8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth. 9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, “proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: 10 and set two men before him, to bear witness against him, saying, you blasphemed against God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.11 And the men of his city [did what Jezebel told them]. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died… 15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, she said to Ahab: “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth: for Naboth is not alive, but dead. 16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth to take possession of it. 17 The word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,18 Go down to meet Ahab, the king of Israel: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. (1 Kings 18, 17.20). 7 The king abused his power in order to occupying power. Unfortunately, up to dispossess Naboth from his land. Ahab this very day Israel has never been held used false accusations, killed Naboth and properly accountable for these systematic took a land that did not belong to him. The violations. This unacceptable situation Bible calls this act “following idols”. within the overall international community must be brought to an end. This deliberate The story of Naboth tells our story as strategy of forcible displacement amounts Palestinians. We are dispossessed of to a policy and practice of forcible our land through the use of force and/or transfer of the Palestinian population false documents; we suffer at the hands that began in 1948 with the Palestinian of an unjust juridical system, and we are Nakba where 750,000 Palestinians were driven from our lands. This is not only made refugees. However, this process of what happened in the past, but this sin forcible displacement is ongoing and has of injustice continues today, violating the so far resulted in approximately 65% of the commands of the Bible. Palestinian population worldwide being made refugees and/or Internally Displaced 2 Forced Population Transfer Persons. The Palestinian population is exposed to 2 See BADIL, Palestinian Refugees and Internally daily human rights violations by the Israeli Displaced Persons Survey of 2010 - 2012 (2012) p. 3. 8 Forced population transfer or forcible 13% is already built up.3 As the Palestinian displacement can be defined as a population of Jerusalem continues to practice or policy having the purpose grow steadily, it has had no option but to or effect of moving persons into or out expand into areas not zoned for Palestinian of an area, either within or across an residence by the State of Israel. All such international border. Forced population homes are now under the constant threat transfer is illegal and has constituted of demolition by the Israeli army or police, an international crime since the Allied which will leave their inhabitants homeless Resolution on German War Crimes and displaced. adopted in 1942. The strongest and most recent codification of the crime is found in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which clearly defines forcible transfer of population and implantation of settlers as war crimes as 3 OCHA-OPT, Demolitions and Forced Displacement stipulated in Articles 7 and 8.
Recommended publications
  • Beit Sahour City Profile

    Beit Sahour City Profile

    Beit Sahour City Profile Prepared by The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem Funded by Spanish Cooperation Azahar Program 2010 Palestinian Localities Study Bethlehem Governorate Acknowledgments ARIJ hereby expresses its deep gratitude to the Spanish agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID) for their funding of this project through the Azahar Program. ARIJ is grateful to the Palestinian officials in the ministries, municipalities, joint services councils, village committees and councils, and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) for their assistance and cooperation with the project team members during the data collection process. ARIJ also thanks all the staff who worked throughout the past couple of years towards the accomplishment of this work. 1 Palestinian Localities Study Bethlehem Governorate Background This booklet is part of a series of booklets, which contain compiled information about each city, town, and village in Bethlehem Governorate. These booklets came as a result of a comprehensive study of all localities in Bethlehem Governorate, which aims at depicting the overall living conditions in the governorate and presenting developmental plans to assist in developing the livelihood of the population in the area. It was accomplished through the "Village Profiles and Azahar Needs Assessment;" the project funded by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID) and the Azahar Program. The "Village Profiles and Azahar Needs Assessment" was designed to study, investigate, analyze and document the socio-economic conditions and the needed programs and activities to mitigate the impact of the current unsecure political, economic and social conditions in Bethlehem Governorate with particular focus on the Azahar program objectives and activities concerning water, environment, and agriculture.
  • Prayer Practices Among Palestinian Christians in Occupied Palestinian Territory

    Prayer Practices Among Palestinian Christians in Occupied Palestinian Territory

    MARI PARKKINEN Prayer practices among Palestinian Christians in Occupied Palestinian Territory rab Palestinian Christians face many challenges 31–3) and adjustment to mortal illness or near-death living in the Occupied Palestinian Territory; life situations (Phelps et al. 2009: 1145–6; Fry 1990: Arestrictions of movement, a poor employment 746–7). However, the effects of religion or prayer in situation and rising emigration. According to previous coping are not always positive. Research reports sug- research, religion and prayer provide strength and hope gest that for example for those with mental health in the midst of the ongoing conflict. This research has issues religious forms of coping may not be optimal used qualitative methods and the data was collected (Bryan et al. 2016: 50–1; Strawbridge et al. 1998: in the occupied Palestinian Territory in February–April 122–3). Negative correlations of religious coping and November 2017. Thirty-five participants were have also been reported in relation to the death of a interviewed about their practice of prayer. The inter- friend (Park and Cohen 1993: 572–4). views were semi-structured. The aim of this paper is to Coping in the midst of the Israel–Palestine con- examine how prayer is utilised among the Palestinian flict has been studied comprehensively. In the field Christians to cope in stressful life situations and how of psychology and health research, the research has prayer types are utilised across generations. Content been focused on the effects of exposure to violence analysis revealed four prayer types: petitionary, ritual- and war-related environments. The results indicate istic, meditative and thanksgiving.
  • Jerusalem: City of Dreams, City of Sorrows

    Jerusalem: City of Dreams, City of Sorrows

    1 JERUSALEM: CITY OF DREAMS, CITY OF SORROWS More than ever before, urban historians tell us that global cities tend to look very much alike. For U.S. students. the“ look alike” perspective makes it more difficult to empathize with and to understand cultures and societies other than their own. The admittedly superficial similarities of global cities with U.S. ones leads to misunderstandings and confusion. The multiplicity of cybercafés, high-rise buildings, bars and discothèques, international hotels, restaurants, and boutique retailers in shopping malls and multiplex cinemas gives these global cities the appearances of familiarity. The ubiquity of schools, university campuses, signs, streetlights, and urban transportation systems can only add to an outsider’s “cultural and social blindness.” Prevailing U.S. learning goals that underscore American values of individualism, self-confidence, and material comfort are, more often than not, obstacles for any quick study or understanding of world cultures and societies by visiting U.S. student and faculty.1 Therefore, international educators need to look for and find ways in which their students are able to look beyond the veneer of the modern global city through careful program planning and learning strategies that seek to affect the students in their “reading and learning” about these fertile centers of liberal learning. As the students become acquainted with the streets, neighborhoods, and urban centers of their global city, their understanding of its ways and habits is embellished and enriched by the walls, neighborhoods, institutions, and archaeological sites that might otherwise cause them their “cultural and social blindness.” Jerusalem is more than an intriguing global historical city.
  • Annual Report #4

    Annual Report #4

    Fellow engineers Annual Report #4 Program Name: Local Government & Infrastructure (LGI) Program Country: West Bank & Gaza Donor: USAID Award Number: 294-A-00-10-00211-00 Reporting Period: October 1, 2013 - September 30, 2014 Submitted To: Tony Rantissi / AOR / USAID West Bank & Gaza Submitted By: Lana Abu Hijleh / Country Director/ Program Director / LGI 1 Program Information Name of Project1 Local Government & Infrastructure (LGI) Program Country and regions West Bank & Gaza Donor USAID Award number/symbol 294-A-00-10-00211-00 Start and end date of project September 30, 2010 – September 30, 2015 Total estimated federal funding $100,000,000 Contact in Country Lana Abu Hijleh, Country Director/ Program Director VIP 3 Building, Al-Balou’, Al-Bireh +972 (0)2 241-3616 [email protected] Contact in U.S. Barbara Habib, Program Manager 8601 Georgia Avenue, Suite 800, Silver Spring, MD USA +1 301 587-4700 [email protected] 2 Table of Contents Acronyms and Abbreviations …………………………………….………… 4 Program Description………………………………………………………… 5 Executive Summary…………………………………………………..…...... 7 Emergency Humanitarian Aid to Gaza……………………………………. 17 Implementation Activities by Program Objective & Expected Results 19 Objective 1 …………………………………………………………………… 24 Objective 2 ……………………................................................................ 42 Mainstreaming Green Elements in LGI Infrastructure Projects…………. 46 Objective 3…………………………………………………........................... 56 Impact & Sustainability for Infrastructure and Governance ……............
  • Cry for Hope, an Urgent Call to End the Oppression of the Palestinian People

    Cry for Hope, an Urgent Call to End the Oppression of the Palestinian People

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Global Coalition of Christians Issues Call for Palestinian Justice A growing list of church leaders and justice advocates sign on to the call Bethlehem, Palestine, July 1, 2020— Kairos Palestine and Global Kairos for Justice, a broad network of allies including Palestinian Christians and international friends of Kairos Palestine, issue Cry for Hope, an urgent call to end the oppression of the Palestinian people. Rifat Kassis, General Coordinator of Kairos Palestine, explains, “The Body of Christ can no longer stand by as world leaders and the international community trample on the rights of Palestinians to dignity, justice and self-determination under international law. The integrity of the Christian faith itself is at stake.” The authors of this international call describe the release as coming at a time of global emergencies, when the world has been summoned to turn its attention to the most vulnerable. They point to movements around the world that are seeking to bring down the structures of racism, ethnic cleansing, and the violation of land and its resources. Cry for Hope: A Call to Decisive Action makes the case that, as Israel announces its annexation plans, a critical point has been reached in the struggle to end the oppression of the Palestinians. Authors of the Cry for Hope argue that the personal, cultural, economic and environmental suffering of Palestinians under occupation increases day-by-day. Apart from the Cry, leaders around the world have made the case that, with expected support from the U.S. administration, Israel’s annexation of an additional one-third of the West Bank, including the fertile Jordan Valley, will effectively accomplish the goal of colonizing the Palestinian homeland.
  • The Plight of Palestinian Refugees in Syria in the Camps South of Damascus by Metwaly Abo Naser, with the Support of Ryme Katkhouda and Devorah Hill

    The Plight of Palestinian Refugees in Syria in the Camps South of Damascus by Metwaly Abo Naser, with the Support of Ryme Katkhouda and Devorah Hill

    Expert Analysis January 2017 Syrian voices on the Syrian conflict: The plight of Palestinian refugees in Syria in the camps south of Damascus By Metwaly Abo Naser, with the support of Ryme Katkhouda and Devorah Hill Introduction: the historical role of Palestinians the Oslo Accords in 1992 and the resulting loss by both the in Syria Palestinian diaspora in general and the inhabitants of the After they took refuge in Syria after the 1948 war, al-Yarmouk refugee camp in particular of their position as Palestinians refugees were treated in the same way as a key source of both material and ideological support for other Syrian citizens. Their numbers eventually reached the Palestinian armed revolution in the diaspora. This was 450,000, living mostly in 11 refugee camps throughout Syria due in part to the failure of the various Palestinian national (UNRWA, 2006). Permitted to fully participate in the liberation factions to identify new ways of engaging the economic and social life of Syrian society, they had the diaspora – including the half million Palestinians living in same civic and economic rights and duties as Syrians, Syria – in the Palestinian struggle for the liberation of the except that they could neither be nominated for political land occupied by Israel. office nor participate in elections. This helped them to feel that they were part of Syrian society, despite their refugee This process happened slowly. After the Israeli blockade of status and active role in the global Palestinian liberation Lebanon in 1982, the Palestinian militant struggle declined. struggle against the Israeli occupation of their homeland.
  • Community Resilience Development

    Community Resilience Development

    Annexes Annex 1: Evaluation Terms of Reference Annex 2: The Concept of Resilience Annex 3: Bibliography Annex 4: List of Documents Reviewed Annex 5: List of people met: interviewees, focus groups, field visits Annex 6: List of field visits Annex 7: Sample of Projects for Document Review Annex 8: Maps, Vulnerability and Resilience Data Annex 9: Analysis of CRDP Project Portfolio Profile Annex 10: Vulnerability Analysis Annex 11: Universal Lessons on Gender-Sensitive Resilience-Based programming Annex 12: Field Work Calendar Annex 13: Achievements of Programme (Rounds 1-3) 1 Annex 1: Evaluation Terms of Reference 1. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT About the CRDP The Community Resilience Development Programme (CRDP) is the result of a fruitful cooperation between the Palestinian Government through the Ministry of Finance and Planning (MOFAP, the United Nations Development Programme/Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (UNDP/PAPP), and the Government of Sweden. In 2012, an agreement was signed between the Government of Sweden and UNDP/PAPP so as to support a three-year programme (from 2012 to 2016), with a total amount of SEK 90,000,000, equivalent to approximately USD 12,716,858. During the same year, the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) joined the program and provided funds for the first year with an amount of £300,000, equivalent to USD 453,172. In 2013, the government of Austria joined the programme and deposited USD 4,202,585, (a final amount of approximately $557,414 remains to be deposited) to support the programme for two years. Finally, in 2014, the Government of Norway joined the programme with a contribution of USD 1,801,298 to support the programme for two years.
  • Decline in Vertebrate Biodiversity in Bethlehem, Palestine

    Decline in Vertebrate Biodiversity in Bethlehem, Palestine

    Volume 7, Number 2, June .2014 ISSN 1995-6673 JJBS Pages 101 - 107 Jordan Journal of Biological Sciences Decline in Vertebrate Biodiversity in Bethlehem, Palestine Mazin B. Qumsiyeh1,* , Sibylle S. Zavala1 and Zuhair S. Amr2 1 Faculty of Science, Bethlehem University 9 Rue des Freres, Bethlehem, Palestine. 2 Department of Biology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan. Received: December 10, 2013 Revised: January 15, 2014 Accepted: January 20, 2014 Abstract Our data showed that in the 1960s/1970s some 31 species of mammals and 78 species of birds were present in the area of the Bethlehem governorate, between Bethlehem and Deir Mar Saba. Comparison with observations done in 2008-2013 showed significant declines in vertebrate biodiversity in this area, which has increasingly become urbanized, with an increase in temperature and a decrease in annual rainfall over the past four decades. Keywords: Biodiversity, Palestine, Mammals, Birds, Reptiles. the human pressure in all areas (ARIJ, 1995). However, 1. Introduction the impact of these changes on nature was not studied. To estimate the impact of this human development Research on vertebrate biodiversity in the occupied on nature is difficult. Most studies of fauna and flora of West Bank is limited compared to that in the nearby the area South of Jerusalem (Bethlehem Governorate) areas of Palestine and Jordan; Palestinian research in was done by Western visitors who came on short trips to general still lags behind (Qumsiyeh and Isaac, 2012). tour the "Holy Land". One of the first native More work is needed to study habitat destruction Palestinians who engaged in faunal studies was Dr.
  • Concordis Papers Viii

    Concordis Papers Viii

    CONCORDIS PAPERS VIII Christian Churches and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict February 2010 Third Edition 2 Blessed are the peacemakers … Matthew 5:9 List of Contents Page 3 Introduction Rt Hon Viscount Brentford 4 Maps 5 A Note on the Purpose of this Booklet (Revised for 3rd Edtion) 6 Chronology (expanded in 2nd Edition) 8 Current Political Background Dr Fiona McCallum 10 A Christian View of Israel Dr Calvin Smith 12 Biblical Perspectives on Israel and Palestine and how these Relate to the Church Revd Chris Rose 14 Summary of Discussion at Consultation 16 Working Together towards Peaceful Co‐existence Geoffrey Smith and Jerry Marshall 18 Musalaha and the Churches Dr Salim Munayer 20 The Need for a Bridging Narrative Dr Richard Harvey 22 Engaging with the Land and People Revd Mike Fuller 24 Core Christian Principle Common to All Ben White 26 The Contributors 27 About Concordis International Cover photo: © CC Or Hitch 3 Introduction Rt Hon Viscount Brentford oncordis International has worked—not always under that name—for over 25 C years to build sustainable and just peace in areas suffering from war, by developing relationships between key individuals on all sides of violent conflict and helping them together to find constructive ways forward. Our field of experience includes South Africa, Rwanda, Sudan, Kenya and Afghanistan. With respect to the Middle East, we have so far limited ourselves to the relatively modest ambitions that available funding has allowed. This paper is the eighth in a series which seeks to build on the strengths of the Concordis approach through spreading understanding of issues and the multilateral consensus developed in consultations, primarily connected with the conflicts in Sudan.
  • Bernard Sabella, Bethlehem University, Palestine COMPARING PALESTINIAN CHRISTIANS on SOCIETY and POLITICS: CONTEXT and RELIGION

    Bernard Sabella, Bethlehem University, Palestine COMPARING PALESTINIAN CHRISTIANS on SOCIETY and POLITICS: CONTEXT and RELIGION

    Bernard Sabella, Bethlehem University, Palestine COMPARING PALESTINIAN CHRISTIANS ON SOCIETY AND POLITICS: CONTEXT AND RELIGION IN ISRAEL AND PALESTINE Palestinian Christians, both in the Palestinian Territories (Palestine) and in Israel, number close to 180,000 altogether. Close to 50,000 of them live in the Palestinian Territories while roughly 130,000 live in Israel. In both cases, Christian Palestinians make up less than 2 percent of the overall population. In Israel, Christians make up 11% of the Arab population of over one million while in Palestine the Christians make up less than two percent (1.7%) of the entire population of three million. (1). In 1995 a survey of a national sample of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza on attitudes to society, politics and economics was conducted. It included surveying a group of 340 Christians from different localities in the West Bank and Gaza. (2). This survey provided a basis for comparing attitudes of Christians to those of their Muslim compatriots. In March 2000, a survey was conducted for the purpose of comparing the attitudes of Palestinian Christians in both Palestine and Israel. The same questionnaire was used, except for some modifications, in both the 1995 and 2000 surveys. (3). While the two surveys do not add up to a longitudinal study they, nevertheless, provide a basis to compare between two samples of Palestinian Christians in Palestine in 1995 and 2000 and between Palestinian Christians in Palestine and Israel for the year 2000. The responses of Muslim Palestinians in the 1995 survey also provide an opportunity to compare their responses with those of Christians in Israel and Palestine.
  • The Meaning of Homeland for the Palestinian Diaspora : Revival and Transformation Mohamed Kamel Doraï

    The Meaning of Homeland for the Palestinian Diaspora : Revival and Transformation Mohamed Kamel Doraï

    The meaning of homeland for the Palestinian diaspora : revival and transformation Mohamed Kamel Doraï To cite this version: Mohamed Kamel Doraï. The meaning of homeland for the Palestinian diaspora : revival and trans- formation. Al-Ali, Nadje Sadig ; Koser, Khalid. New approaches to migration ? : transnational com- munities and the transformation of home, Routledge, pp.87-95, 2002. halshs-00291750 HAL Id: halshs-00291750 https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00291750 Submitted on 24 Sep 2013 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. The meaning of homeland for the Palestinian diaspora Revival and transformation Mohamed Kamel Doraï Lost partially in 1948, and complete1y in 1967, the idea of a homeland continues to live in Palestinian social practices and through the construction of a diasporic territory - a symbolic substitute for the lost homeland. This chapter aims to analyse the mechanisms by which the homeland has been perpetuated in exile, and focuses in particular on Palestinian refugee camps and settlements. It shows how a refugee community can partially transform itself into a transnational community, and examines what role the transformation of home plays in this process. After fifty years of exile, Palestinian refugees continue to claim their right to return to their country of origin.
  • Palestinian Christians

    Palestinian Christians

    Palestinian Christians Palestinian Christians are the descendants of the original indigenous Christians who first believed in Jesus Christ. They are the descendants of the disciples of Jesus Christ & the descendants of other Jews, Philistines, Arabs, Aramaeans/Eremites, Canaanites, Greeks, Romans, Persians & Samaritans... who accepted the Messiah when He was with them in the flesh. Today, they live in Nazareth, Bethlehem, Gaza, Nablus, Ramallah, Jerusalem, Jaffa, Haifa, Jenin, Taybeh, Birzeit, Jifna, al-Bireh, Zababdeh, Tel Aviv, Tubas, Azzun, Aboud, Tiberias, Sakhnin, Shefa-'Amr, Galilee, Jish, Amman, & other places in the Biblical Palestine & Jordan, in addition to the exile. They are Arab Christian Believers of Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic (eastern & western rites), Protestant, Evangelical & other denominations, who have ethnic or family origins in Palestine. In both the local dialect of Palestinian Arabic and in classical or modern standard Arabic, Christians are called Nasrani (a derivative of the Arabic word for Nazareth, al-Nasira) or Masihi (a derivative of Arabic word Masih, meaning "Messiah"). Christians comprise less than 4% of Palestinian Arabs living within the borders of former Mandate Palestine today (around 4% in the West Bank, a negligible percentage in Gaza, and nearly 10% of Israeli Arabs). According to official British Mandate estimates, Mandate Palestine’s Christian population varied between 9.5% (1922) and 7.9% (1946) of the total population. Demographics and Denominations Today, the majority of Palestinian Christians live abroad. In 2005, it was estimated that the Christian population of the Palestinian territories was between 40,000 and 90,000 people, or 2.1 to 3.4% of the population.