Palestine refugee camps

1948 Palestinian exodus Main articles 1948 Palestinian exodus 1947–48 civil war 1948 Arab–Israeli War 1948 Palestine war Causes of the exodus Nakba Day Palestine refugee camps Palestinian refugee Palestinian right of return Present absentee Transfer Committee Resolution 194 Background Mandatory Palestine Israeli Declaration of Independence Israeli–Palestinian conflict history New Historians Palestine · Plan Dalet 1947 partition plan · UNRWA Key incidents Battle of Haifa Deir Yassin massacre Exodus from Lydda and Ramle Notable writers Aref al-Aref · Yoav Gelber Efraim Karsh · Walid Khalidi Nur-eldeen Masalha · Benny Morris Ilan Pappé · Tom Segev Avraham Sela · Avi Shlaim Related categories/lists List of depopulated villages Related templates Palestinians This box: view talk edit

Palestine refugee camps were established after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War to accommodate the Palestine refugees who fled or were expelled during the 1948 Palestinian exodus. United Nations General Assembly (UNGGA) Resolution 194 grants Palestinians the right to return to their homeland if they wish to "live at peace with their neighbors".

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) defines a Palestine refugee as:

"persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict."

Role of UNRWA

UNRWA recognizes facilities in 59 designated refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. It also provided relief to displaced persons inside Israel following the 1948 conflict until the Israeli government took over responsibility for them in 1952.

For a camp to be recognized by UNRWA, there must be an agreement between the host government and UNRWA governing use of the camp. UNRWA does not itself run any camps, has no police powers or administrative role, but simply provides services to the camp. Designated refugee camps, which developed from tented cities to rows of concrete blockhouses to urban ghettos indistinguishable from their surroundings (effectively becoming urban developments within existing cities or by themselves), house around one third of all registered Palestine refugees. UNRWA also provides facilities in other areas where large numbers of registered Palestine refugees live outside of recognized camps.

UNRWA defines a Palestine refugee as:^[1]

"persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict."

UNRWA's definition of a refugee also covers the descendants of refugee males.^[1] The number of registered Palestine refugees (PR) has subsequently grown from 750,000 in 1950 to around 5 million in 2013.^[1]

List of camps

This lists the current Palestine refugee camps with current population and year they were established.^[2]

Gaza Strip

The Gaza Strip has 8 refugee camps and 1,221,110 registered refugees.

• 1948, Al-Shati (Beach camp), 87,000
• 1949, Bureij, 34,000
• 1948, Deir al-Balah, 21,000
• 1948, Jabalia, 110,000
• 1949, Khan Yunis, 72,000
• 1949, Maghazi, 24,000
• 1949, Nuseirat, 66,000
• 1949, Rafah, 104,000

West Bank

The West Bank has 19 refugee camps and 741,409 registered refugees.

• 1948, Aqabat Jaber, 6,400
• 1948, Ein as-Sultan, 1,900
• 1949, Far'a, 7,600
• 1949, Fawwar, 8,000
• 1949, Jalazone, 11,000
• 1949, Kalandia, 11,000
• 1949, Am'ari, 10,500
• 1949, Deir 'Ammar, 2,400
• 1949, Dheisheh, 13,000
• 1950, Aida, 4,700
• 1950, Al-Arroub, 10,400
• 1950, Askar, 15,900
• 1950, Balata, 23,600
• 1950, 'Azza (Beit Jibrin), 1,000
• 1950, Ein Beit al-Ma' (Camp No. 1), 6,750
• 1950, Tulkarm camp, 18,000
• 1952, Nur Shams, 9,000
• 1953, Jenin camp, 16,000
• 1965, Shuafat camp, 11,000

Syria

Syria has 13 refugee camps and 499,189 registered refugees. 3 of these camps are unofficial (*).

• 1948, Sbeineh, 22,600
• 1949, Khan Eshieh, 20,000
• 1948, Neirab, 20,500
• 1949, Homs, 22,000
• 1948, Jaramana camp, 18,658
• 1950, Daraa camp, 10,000
• 1950, Hama camp, 8,000
• 1950, Khan Dannun, 10,000
• 1967, Qabr Essit, 23,700
• 1955-6, Latakia Camp*, 10,000
• 1957, Yarmouk*, 148,500
• 1962, Ein el-Tal*, 6,000

Lebanon

There are ten refugee camps in Lebanon and 448,599 registered refugees.

• 1948, Bourj el-Barajneh, 17,945
• 1948, Ain al-Hilweh, 54,116
• 1948, El Buss, 11,254
• 1949, Nahr al-Bared, 300 families
• 1949, Shatila, 9,842
• 1948, Wavel, 8,806
• 1952, Mar Elias, 662
• 1954, Mieh Mieh, 5,250
• 1955, Beddawi, 16,500
• 1955, Burj el-Shemali, 22,789
• 1956, Dbayeh camp, 4,351
• 1963, Rashidieh, 31,478

Jordan

There are ten refugee camps in Jordan and 2,034,641 registered refugees.

• 1949, Zarqa camp, 20,000
• 1952, Jabal el-Hussein, 29,000
• 1955, Amman New Camp (Wihdat), 51,500
• 1967, Souf, 20,000
• 1968, Baqa'a, 104,000
• 1968, Husn (Martyr Azmi el-Mufti camp), 22,000
• 1968, Irbid camp, 25,000
• 1968, Jerash camp, 24,000
• 1968, Marka, 53,000
• 1968, Talbieh, 7,000

See also

• Sahrawi refugee camps

References

External links

• UNWRA Camp Profiles
• Photo Essay: Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon, William Wheeler and Don Duncan World Politics Review, 11 March 2008
• Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon
• Palestinian Refugees in Syria
• Palestinian Refugees in Jordan
• Lebanese Refugees

Maps

• Map from UNRWA
• Camps in Lebanon
• Camps in the territories

v t e Palestinian refugee camps locations and populations as of 2013  Gaza Strip 1,221,110  West Bank 741,409 refugees  Syria 499,189 refugees  Lebanon 448,599 refugees  Jordan 2,034,641 refugees Al-Shati (Beach camp) 87,000 Bureij 34,000 Deir al-Balah 21,000 Jabalia 110,000 Khan Yunis 72,000 Maghazi 24,000 Nuseirat 66,000 Rafah 104,000 Aqabat Jaber 6,400 Ein as-Sultan 8,083 Far'a 7,600 Fawwar 8,000 Jalazone 11,000 Kalandia 11,000 Am'ari 10,500 Deir 'Ammar 2,400 Dheisheh 2,189 Dheisheh 13,000 Aida 4,700 Al-Arroub 10,400 Askar 15,900 Balata 23,600 'Azza (Beit Jibrin) 1,000 Ein Beit al-Ma' (Camp No. 1) 6,750 Tulkarm camp 18,000 Nur Shams 9,000 Jenin camp 16,000 Shuafat camp 11,000 Sbeineh 22,600 Khan Eshieh 20,000 Neirab 20,500 Homs 22,000 Jaramana camp 18,658 Daraa camp 10,000 Hama camp 8,000 Khan Dannun 10,000 Qabr Essit 23,700 Latakia Camp 10,000 Yarmouk 148,500 Ein el-Tal 6,000 Bourj el-Barajneh 17,945 Ain al-Hilweh 54,116 El Buss 11,254 Nahr al-Bared 300 families Shatila 9,842 Wavel 8,806 Mar Elias 662 Mieh Mieh 5,250 Mieh Mieh 5,078 Beddawi 16,500 Burj el-Shemali 22,789 Rashidieh 31,478 Zarqa camp 20,000 Jabal el-Hussein 29,000 Amman New Camp (Wihdat) 51,500 Baqa'a 104,000 Husn (Martyr Azmi el-Mufti camp) 22,000 Irbid camp 25,000 Jerash camp 24,000 Marka 53,000 Talbieh 7,000