CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2019
| Author | Harb, Malak |
|---|---|
| Title | Where to Return? The Implications of Palestinian Refugees' Secondary Movements from UNRWA Mandate Area to EU on their Right of Return |
| Summary | This thesis addresses the implications that the secondary movements of Palestinian refugees have on their right of return. Particularly, it examines whether these secondary movements to outside UNRWA mandate area have created a dual right of return for Palestinian refugees: the original right of return to their homes in historic Palestine and another right of return to countries of first asylum where UNRWA operates. Palestinian refugees are considered among the most vulnerable categories of refugees due to their complex status under international law. As they do not fall under the scope of the international refugee system, they have their own regime under the umbrella of UNRWA, which operates in five main entities (Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, and Gaza). There are great disparities between these entities when it comes to the overall national policy towards Palestinian refugees, with Lebanon being the harshest in terms of treating its Palestinian population. The vulnerability of Palestinians in their first host states has been the main motivation towards considering applying to asylum elsewhere. It has created a flow of secondary movements to outside UNRWA mandate area in order to seek protection and dignified living conditions. These movements to outside UNRWA mandate area have added complexity to the originally proclaimed right of return. This thesis firstly explains the morality and legality of Palestinians’ right of return to historic Palestine. It then addresses the reality that Palestinian refugees endure within UNRWA mandate area, and highlights the patterns of their secondary movements to outside UNRWA operations’ area, particularly to EU member states. After explaining the development of the official EU approach towards Palestinian asylum seekers and the characteristics of Palestinians' secondary movements to EU, this thesis concludes that the secondary movements of Palestinian refugees to outside UNRWA mandate area have created a dual right of return. Additionally, these continuous movements expose the protection gap that Palestinian refugees have been vulnerable of for decades. |
| Supervisor | Nagy, Boldizsár |
| Department | Legal Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2019/harb_malak.pdf |
Visit the CEU Library.
© 2007-2021, Central European University