Reply #58: I think ROR has three aspects... [View All]

[Violet_Crumble]

Like you said, compensation is one of them.The compensation will have to be accompanied by repatriation to wherever they choose to live (eg the US, Canada or wherever). But there are two other important aspects - a physical right of return to Israel of a symbolic nature for some refugees (I'd be thinking any surviving refugees from 1948 and of course ones who have close family in Israel would be the obvious ones), and acknowledgement from Israel for its role in the creation of the refugee problem....

One thing worth mentioning is that there are internally displaced refugees within Israel who have never been compensated for the loss of their lands and homes. I don't think they fall under the umbrella of UNRWA, but I read a really sad thing about a guy who was now living within view of the land that he'd been kicked out of in 1948 and has never been compensated for it. His home had been turned by the Israeli govt into a small hospital type thing to deal with people who suffer those weird religious delusions that a visit to Jerusalem can sometimes inspire mainly amongst Christians. He seemed resigned to it, saying he was reasonably happy with his lot in life, but he'd really like his land back or at least compensation for it, but his sons were much angrier about it than him, and were very bitter about the injustice that had been done to him. So after reading that, I hope any resolution of the refugee issue does involve Israeli-Arabs who lost their land...

In a nutshell, though, any belief that the right of return must involve a physical 'return' of every current refugee isn't realistic...

Violet...