Haviv Rettig Gur: The truth about refugees in the Middle East

Meet Haviv Rettig Gur, the political correspondent of The Times of Israel. Gur has attracted quite a following with his explanatory podcasts and videos. Here is one of his Instagram videos, in which he tackles the vexed question of the exchange of refugees in the Middle East and the Palestinian ‘right of return’.

The Gazans are the descendants of Arab refugees from Israel proper – some fled and some were expelled. Yet they do not consider Gaza their home – they aspire to ‘returning’ to the home they left 77 years ago in what is now the Jewish state. Most Israelis also also refugees: half come from Arab and Muslim countries. But it is preposterous for a Jew from Baghdad or Sana’a to have a right of return to Iraq or Yemen.

Gur goes on to explain that some countries have given a ‘right of return’ to their diaspora communities. for instance, Greece has granted citizenship to Greek Orthodox Ukrainians. Ireland gives citizenship to individuals of Irish heritage. Israel has taken in Jews – mostly refugees. It is unprecedented for any minority to have a right to ‘return’ to a country where they are not a majority.

In the Middle East there occurred a permanent exchange of refugees.

Listen to Haviv Retting Gur’s post on Instagram

UNRWA insisting on refugee return to Israel impedes true peace