Palestinian exodus from Kuwait (1990–91)

ThePalestinian exodus from Kuwaittook place during and after theGulf War. There were approximately 357,000Palestiniansliving inKuwaitbefore the countrywas invadedby neighbouringIraqon 2 August 1990.On August 10, 20 Arab League countries at an emergency summit inCairodrafted a final statement that condemned the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and supported theUnited Nationsresolutions. Twelve Arab states supported the use of force while the remaining eight, including thePalestine Liberation Organization(PLO), rejected a military solution to the Iraqi invasion.According toThe Washington Post, classified U.S. reports indicated that then-PLO leaderYasser Arafatpressed then Iraqi leaderSaddam Husseinto make his withdrawal from Kuwait conditional on the withdrawal of Israel from theWest Bank,Gaza StripandGolan Heights, and on August 12, Saddam announced his offer to conditionally withdraw.The Kuwaiti government policy which led to this exodus was a response to the position taken by the PLO, resulting in an event virtually indistinguishable from theNakba.
AfterOperation Desert Storm, which saw Iraqi forces defeated and pushed out of Kuwait by aUnited States-led coalition, more than 287,000 Palestinians were forced to leave Kuwait in March 1991 by the government and fear of abuse byKuwaiti security forces.Most fleeing Palestinians went toJordan, while limited numbers ended up in Iraq,Israel, theUnited States,AustraliaandCanada.
In 2004, relations between the Palestinian leadership and Kuwait improved with the issuance of an official apology byMahmoud Abbasfor the PLO's support of the Iraqi occupation. In 2012, thePalestinian embassyin Kuwait was re-opened,and some 80,000 Palestinians were living in the state.
Before the Gulf War, thePalestinianpopulation in Kuwait was 357,000,comprising roughly 18 percent ofKuwait's total population, which was approximately 2 million people at the time.
These Palestinian nationals had come toKuwaitin three different phases: 1948 (First Arab–Israeli WarandNakba), 1967 (Third Arab–Israeli War) and 1973 (Fourth Arab–Israeli War).
During the subsequent Iraqimilitary occupationof the country, some Palestinians fled due to various reasons such as fear of persecution,food and medical care shortages, financial difficulties, and fear of arrest or mistreatment at roadblocks byIraqi troops.
Kuwait's campaign against the Palestinians was a response to the alignment of Palestinian leaderYasser Arafatand the PLO withSaddam Hussein, who had earlier invaded Kuwait.On March 14, 1991, 200,000 Palestinians were still residing in Kuwait, out of the initial 400,000.Palestinians were forced to leave Kuwait during one week in March 1991, followingKuwait's liberationfrom Iraqi occupation. During a single week in March, the Palestinian population of Kuwait had almost entirely been deported out the country. Kuwaitis said that Palestinians leaving the country could move to Jordan, since most Palestinians held Jordanian passports.According toThe New York Times, Kuwaitis said the anger against Palestinians was such that there was little chance that those who had left during the seven-month occupation could ever return and relatively few of those remaining will be able to stay.
Some of the Palestinians who were expelled from Kuwait wereJordanian citizens.
In 2004, Kuwait put off a planned visit byMahmoud Abbas, then the number-two PLO official after leaderYasser Arafat.Palestinian officials initially denied reports that this was due to the PLO's refusal to apologize over its support of the 1990Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.However, on 12 December 2004, Abbas, now the leader of the PLO, apologized for the Palestinian leadership's support ofIraqandSaddam Husseinduring the invasion and occupation.On the first visit to Kuwait by a top Palestinian official since the 1990 invasion, Abbas stated: "I say, yes, we apologize to the Kuwait people over our stand toward Kuwait"
In 2012, it was reported there were 80,000 Palestinians living in Kuwait.