Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs: Experiences in Migration

I wonder how much of the problem between Israeli Jews and the Palestinians stems from their different experiences with migration. There were apparently only about 50,000 jews in the area that they both claim in 1930. The increase in the Jewish population came from immigration in a number of waves. For the immigrant Jews, the move was positive step, usually escaping from a very bad environment seeking a new life in an accepting culture. For large numbers of them, the move was successful, and the Jews in Israel found a better, richer life than they had left behind. Even the children and grandchildren of the original immigrants are probably still affected by this experience.

Many Palestinians today have worked abroad and had positive experiences in the process. However, the creation of Israel after World War II resulted in forced migration of Palestinian Arabs, many to refugee camps where life was quite bad. Many have remained in the camps. Those who have settled in Gaza and the West Bank have lived in occupied territories for more than a generation. Indeed, even in the period between 1948 and 1967, life was not that good for those who found lives outside the camps. The children and grandchildren of the original Palestinian refugees are also still affected by the experience of their ancestral refugees.

It would not be surprising were the Israeli Jews to have a generally positive view of immigration and were the Palestinians to have quite the opposite. If true, it would make it hard for the Israeli Jews to understand why the Palistinian Arabs would not want to migrate to other Arab countries, and would tend to lead the Palestinians to assume that Israeli suggestions that them migrate to be more evilly intended that they might in fact be.