Palestinian Refugees in International Law

The Palestinian refugee question, resulting from the events surrounding the birth of the state of Israel seventy years ago, remains one of the largest and most protracted refugee crises of the post-WWII era. Numbering over six million in the Middle East alone, Palestinian refugees' status varies considerably according to the state or territory 'hosting' them, the UN agency assisting them and political circumstances surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict these refugees are naturally associated with. Despite being foundational to both the experience of the Palestinian refugees and the resolution of their plight, international law is often side-lined in political discussions concerning their fate.

This compelling new book, building on the seminal contribution of the first edition (1998), offers a clear and comprehensive analysis of various areas of international law (including refugee law, human rights law, humanitarian law, the law relating to stateless persons, principles related to internally displaced persons, as well as notions of international criminal law), and probes their relevance to the provision of international protection for Palestinian refugees and their quest for durable solutions.

Second Edition

Francesca Albanese and Lex Takkenberg

• A key reference text for anyone desiring a better understanding of the Palestinian refugee question and its resolution
• Offers a clear and comprehensive analysis of various areas of international law and their relevance to the provision of international protection for Palestinian refugees, including current interpretations of Article 1D of the 1951 Refugee Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and the various definitions of Palestinian refugees
• Provides an authoritative account of the subject, including on the role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) vis-à-vis Palestinian refugees
• Offers an innovative framework for just and durable solutions, building on important developments in the field of refugee law and practice and on a holistic rights-based approach

New to this Edition:

• Based on a survey of more than 50 countries conducted with support from UNHCR and UNRWA, the new edition provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the status and treatment of Palestinian refugees in the Arab world and beyond
• Applies a consistent legal approach to the question of Palestinian refugees, placing legal rights at the centre of the analysis
• An updated analysis of the distinctive regime set up for Palestinian refugees, made of a plurality of UN agencies (UNCCP, UNRWA and UNHCR)
• Provides an excursus of how the issue of Palestinian refugee has been negotiated since 1948 and reflections on what approach could lead to a durable solution to their plight