Evening star., 1957-04-19

and their presence stimulates
otherwise be dulled by time. As
long as the question Of their
ultimate fate remains un-
answered. the larger problems
Of Arab-Israeli peace must re-
main unsolved.
The refugees themselves have
fixed their minds on these sim
pie convictions:
Israel is the cause Of all their
troubles.
They must and will return to
their old Palestine homes.
America can get them there.
AS they wander aimlessly
about their camps. un-
able to secure time-and-mind-
occupying work, the refugees
talk of their plight. They talk
passionately Of it to strangers,
frequently in good English as
many Of them are well educated
men.
Complaints Quoted
THE Israelis drove us out of
our homes nine years ago. Pales-
tine was an Arab country. We
had flne homes and property.
They took everything and drove
Us out at the point Of q gun.
Nov they bring in Jews from
all over the world to live in our
homes. and America helps them.
They won't let us back.
why doesn't America helm
US instead Of the Jews? America
says she wants our friendship.
Well, then why doesn't srie get
US our homes? If America hon
estly wants to. she can get our
homes back. If America doesn't
do it it is because the Americans
don't want to help"
A visitor may try merely to
point out some of the compli-
cations which make return Of
the. refugees not quite that
simple:
Their homes and villages in
many instances simply do not
exist any more in the new ma
ton Of Israel: Israel is crowded
and could not readily absorb the
total Of 100000 refugees living
in the scores Of camps surround
ing Israel: the Israelis vino are
occupying the old Arab lands are
IN most cases themselves refugees
frequently expelled penniless
from an Arab country just for
being Jews-and their problems
must also be considered: Israel
is a Jewish country and most
Moslems would feel uncomfort-
able living there: the unhelpful
attitude of Arab governments is
making it more difficult to solve
refugee problems.
Explanations Unheeded
The refugee will wait in silent
impatience while these COM
plicating factors are explained
and then will say:
If America really wants Arab
friendship she can get our homes
back for US. Why doesn't
America do it?"
The refugee has not listened.
The explanations have not pepe-
trated In the slightest.
Men who have worked with
these refugees. administering the
United Nations Relief and Works
Association programs which
take care Of their physical needs,
say there is q simple explana-
tion for the refugees refusal to
listen: The refugees feel q psy-
Geological need to cling to a few
simple ideas about going home.
about Israel. about America.
II they once admitted to them
selves that there are complica-
tions. that they may never see
their homes. that their repatria-
tion or compensation may take
a long time. that no plan for the
rescue now exists. that they
would be lost.
The sterile existance of a
refugee is almost unlivable unless
there Is some simple idea Of
blame and rescue to cling to. So
they refuse to hear an outsiders
well-meaning explanation Of why
they cannot be returned tomor-
row to their old homes. To
listen and to become convinced
would be to embrace despair.
FixatiOn Cited
Since it is a simple fact that
most refugees will never see their
homes again. how can any fu-
ture compromise disposition OF
their problem be accepted by the
refugees?
They will reject fiatly any
kind Of resettlement or conf
penSation plan offered them" "
one experienced United Nations
ofhcial said Their fixation