Palestinian Refugees

Palestinian refugees are individuals whose normal place of residence was within Mandatory Palestine and who were displaced during the 1948 Palestine War and the 1967 Six-Day War, along with their patrilineal descendants. They constitute one of the world’s largest and longest-standing refugee populations, dispersed across the Middle East and forming a core element of the modern Palestinian diaspora. Their status is intertwined with the political history of the Arab–Israeli conflict, and their circumstances vary considerably across different host states.
The majority of Palestinian refugees reside in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. By 2019 more than 5.6 million Palestinians were registered as refugees with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Refugee camps—originally conceived as temporary housing—have evolved into dense, urbanised communities. Despite the passage of decades, refugee status is retained by descendants, making this population unique in international refugee frameworks.

Historical Background and Waves of Displacement

The first and most significant wave of displacement occurred during the 1948 Palestine War. Approximately 700,000 Palestinian Arabs—around 85 per cent of the Arab population of the areas that became the State of Israel—left or were expelled from their homes. These refugees moved primarily to the Jordanian-annexed West Bank, the Egyptian-administered Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Syria, and Transjordan. Their descendants continue to be entitled to UNRWA registration.
The causes of the 1948 exodus remain debated. Some historians argue that expulsion and coercive strategies were part of a wider plan, while others contend that the exodus largely resulted from the uncertainties and violence of war. Scholarly interpretations vary widely, citing factors such as fear of military operations, collapse of local leadership, or deliberate policies designed to secure territorial control.
A second major displacement occurred during the 1967 Six-Day War, creating a new group of refugees. Many of these individuals, particularly from the West Bank, fled to Jordan. This wave was later incorporated into UNRWA’s refugee assistance framework through United Nations resolutions adopted from 1991 onwards.

Demographic Distribution and Living Conditions

Palestinian refugees today live under divergent legal and socio-economic circumstances depending on their host country. Jordan hosts the largest share, with more than two million registered refugees. Most Palestinians of West Bank origin were granted full Jordanian citizenship after 1948, giving them access to rights such as work, property ownership, and political participation. By contrast, Palestinians from Gaza residing in Jordan remain in a precarious legal position, lacking full rights.
In the West Bank and Gaza Strip, approximately two million refugees live either in camps or in other communities. These areas have experienced shifting governance: the West Bank under Jordanian, Israeli, and Palestinian Authority administration, and Gaza under Egyptian rule, Israeli occupation, and since 2007 the administration of Hamas. Israeli military occupation and restrictions have had lasting effects on socioeconomic conditions, especially in Gaza, where movement limitations, high unemployment, and infrastructure challenges shape the daily realities of camp residents.
Lebanon hosts around half a million Palestinian refugees. Here, refugees generally face strict legal restrictions. They are denied citizenship, cannot vote, have limited access to employment sectors, and face restrictions on property ownership. These policies are shaped by Lebanon’s confessional political framework, where integration of large refugee populations is seen as potentially destabilising.
In Syria, Palestinian refugees historically enjoyed access to education, healthcare, and employment similar to that of Syrian citizens, despite remaining legally stateless. They were also subject to military conscription. However, the Syrian civil war has severely affected this population, leading to renewed displacement and humanitarian crises.

UNRWA and the Definition of a Palestine Refugee

UNRWA, established in 1949, is the UN agency responsible for providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees. Its mandate covers Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. UNRWA defines a Palestine refugee as a person whose normal residence was Mandatory Palestine between June 1946 and May 1948 and who lost both home and livelihood due to the 1948 conflict. This definition, together with its operational mandate, extends assistance to patrilineal descendants.
UNRWA services include education, healthcare, social welfare, camp infrastructure, and emergency relief. More than one-third of registered refugees live in UNRWA-recognised refugee camps, of which there are 58 across the region. The agency’s activities do not address the political resolution of the refugee question; instead, they respond to immediate humanitarian needs.
The UNRWA definition differs from the broader mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). While both organisations recognise the rights of descendants, UNHCR incorporates cessation clauses that can end refugee status under certain conditions. UNRWA maintains refugee recognition through generations until a durable political solution is achieved. As a result, millions who inherit refugee status remain within its mandate, reflecting the unresolved nature of the conflict.

Palestinian Self-Identification and Terminology

Within Palestinian society, distinctions exist in how refugees are identified. Those displaced in 1948 and their descendants are broadly known as laji’un (refugees). However, many Palestinians, particularly those affiliated with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) or living in diaspora communities in Lebanon, prefer the term ‘a’idun (returnees), which emphasises political agency and the aspiration to return.
Those displaced during or after the 1967 war, and their descendants, are often referred to as nazihun (displaced persons). Over time, these categories have overlapped, as individuals may descend from families affected by both displacement waves.

Political Status and the Right of Return

The political dimension of Palestinian refugeehood is anchored in United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194 of December 1948. Article 11 affirms that refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so, and that compensation should be provided for those choosing not to return. This resolution is cited extensively in Palestinian political discourse and forms a basis for the principle of the right of return.
Despite its prominence, Resolution 194 has not been implemented, and the right of return remains one of the most contentious issues in Israeli–Palestinian negotiations. Host countries have also played differing roles: Jordan’s citizenship approach contrasts with Lebanon’s restrictive stance and Syria’s historically accommodating (though now severely disrupted) policies.

Contemporary Issues and Ongoing Challenges

Palestinian refugees continue to face challenges related to legal status, mobility, housing, and access to employment. Conditions vary widely across the region, but common features include:

• Statelessness, affecting access to rights and mobility.
• Restricted labour markets, particularly in Lebanon.
• Overcrowding and inadequate infrastructure in long-standing refugee camps.
• Political instability, notably in Syria and Gaza.
• Generational transmission of refugee status, sustaining the humanitarian and political dimensions of the issue.