Manji denies Palestinian refugee status rests on UN descent recognition

Evidence

Recognizing that this claim requires a complicated historical counter-claim, Manji offers the same argument as Chesler does. Palestine really belonged to Jews anyway, and in any event Jews needed a refuge from anti-Semitism. If there are Palestinian refugees, it is only because of the ‘disruptions of war – a conflict initiated by Arab countries that couldn’t accept Israel’s existence in their midst.’ The United Nations has deepened the crisis by acknowledging that the descendants of the originally displaced people are also refugees. Not really refugees to begin with, Palestinians face the additional disadvantage that their fellow Arabs will not help them and they themselves keep refusing reasonable deals. Only Israel has ever been prepared to help Palestinian refugees. Israel, Manji concludes, ‘brings more compassion to “colonization” than its adversaries have ever brought to “liberation.” The Jewish state negotiates tensions openly. That’s the stuff of genuine democracy.’ — Sherene Razack, Casting Out, 237

Categorization

• XREF: Ties to the chapter #9 claim that Palestinian refugee status is reframed as an Arab-created refusal crisis, not an Israeli cause.