BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee

2.2 Distribution
Population Numbers, Distribution and Characteristics
During the major waves of displacement and expulsion in the 20 th century, Palestinian refugees tended to remain as close
as possible to their homes and villages of origin, based on the assumption that they would return once armed conflict
ceased. In 1948, an estimated 65% of the Palestinian refugees remained in areas of Palestine not under Israeli control
– i.e., the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which comprised 22% of the territory of Mandate Palestine. In the West
Bank, the Palestinian population swelled from 460,000 to 740,000 due to the mass influx of refugees at that time.
The impact of mass influx into the part of the former Gaza District that became known as the Gaza Strip was even
more dramatic. The population nearly quadrupled. The remaining 35% of the Palestinian refugee population found
refuge in neighbouring states, including Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. An unknown number of Palestinian Arab
citizens were abroad at the time of the 1948 conflict in Palestine, and were unable to return to their places of origin
inside Israel following the cessation of hostilities; they became refugees sur place.
The majority of the internally displaced Palestinians in the north and the centre of Israel were displaced in 1948
(85.5% in the north and 75.1% in the centre); a smaller number were displaced between 1949 and 1967 (7.1%
in the north and 18.1% in the centre), while Palestinians in the south were mainly displaced after 1967 (77.2%). 18
Internally displaced Palestinians found refuge in some 47 Palestinian Arab villages that remained within the state
of Israel after the 1948 war. 19
Figure 2.2: Localities in Israel Hosting 100 or more Palestinian IDPs (1948–1950)
Source: Kamen, Charles, “After the Catastrophe I: The Arabs in Israel, 1948–51”, Middle East Studies.
The majority of Palestinians displaced during the 1967 war found refuge in neighbouring states. Most (95%) were
displaced to Jordan, with smaller numbers displaced to Syria, Egypt and Lebanon. 20 The areas of the West Bank
closest to Jordan suffered the highest population loss, while in the central highlands most Palestinians sought
temporary refuge in nearby fields and villages, and were able to return to their homes after the war. 21 In addition, it is
estimated that some 60,000 Palestinians were abroad at the time of the war and unable to return to the OPT. 22
47