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Right of Return

The right of return—or right to return—refers to the individual and collective right of Palestinian refugees under international law to return to their homes and their homeland. The basis for the right of return is founded in Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that “everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country”,[1] and in UN General Assembly resolution 194 (1948), which states that “[Palestinian] refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date”.[2] Israel denies this right, and continues to prevent the return of millions of Palestinian refugees. By contrast, Israel's 1950 Law of Return grants any Jewish person, from anywhere in the world, the right to immigrate to Israel and to automatically gain Israeli citizenship.[3]

Sources

  1. United Nations. 1948. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
  2. UN General Assembly. 1948. Resolution 194
  3. Knesset. 1950. Law of Return