Jews in Judea and Samaria descended from 1948 Jewish refugees should apply to become "Palestine refugees" ~ Elder Of Ziyon

Sunday, March 02, 2025

Jews in Judea and Samaria descended from 1948 Jewish refugees should apply to become "Palestine refugees"

I saw this comment in Substack from Binyamin Zev Wolf:

I am a Palestinian refugee.

UNRWA defines a Palestine refugee as someone "whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict." Moreover, descendants of Palestine refugee males, including legally adopted children, are also eligible for registration.

In 1948, my family was living in the old city of Jerusalem and were ethnically cleansed from their home by the Jordanians. My great great grandfather was a big rabbi and lost all his writings and his position as rabbi in the old city. I should be getting money from UNWRA.

To become a registered Palestine refugee according to UNRWA eligibility criteria, it is not enough to be descended (through the paternal line) from someone who fits the criteria, but one must also register at an UNRWA office in person.

Israel just shut down the UNRWA offices in Jerusalem, but there are still plenty in the West Bank. And lots of people who are descended from Jewish refugees in 1948 now live across the Green line in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria.

There may also be Arab Israeli citizens who fit the criteria. Many live across the Green Line, mostly in Jerusalem but also in "settlements."

It would be a great idea for a an Israeli Jew and and Israeli Arab who live across the Green line to both go to an UNRWA office and attempt to register as refugees, with appropriate documentation as described in UNRWA's Consolidated Eligibility and Registration Instructions.

If UNRWA says they cannot register because they are citizens of a country, then ask why Palestinian citizens in Jordan (and some in Lebanon) are considered refugees.

If UNRWA says that they cannot register because they live in Israel, ask them if that means that they consider Judea and Samaria to be part of Israel.

If UNRWA says the Arab is eligible and the Jew is not, ask why they discriminate against Jews.

With the Sheikh Jarrah office closed, unfortunately the applicants might need a military escort to make these applications safely. The stunt would be worth it to expose UNRWA's hypocrisy.