[OreoCookie]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye_a 

I meant those who choose to leave(no claims by them to return, etc). Forced migration is not implied. At worst the "refugees" who remained would not be granted Israeli citizenship. IMHO

So they'd be stateless citizens? How is that going to work practically? My guess is it won't work at all.

Originally Posted by Hawkeye_a 

Do you know if the neighboring Arab states offer citizenship to the "refugees"? Personally I am not aware of any.

AFAIK at least 30 % of Jordan's population consists of people of Palestinian origin. Jordan is also struggling with the intake of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees. Jordan's population has increased six-fold in the last 50 years. Remember that all these countries are pretty poor anyway, I can sympathize they don't want to take any more displaced Palestinians. Plus, I wouldn't want to get involved in drawing lines on maps that look like the fur of a leopard.

[Hawkeye_a]

[QUOTE=OreoCookie;4047678]So they'd be stateless citizens? How is that going to work practically? My guess is it won't work at all. /QUOTE]

Why not ? it's worked for 60+ years ? Can YOU think of a better idea to get them to leave ?

Originally Posted by OreoCookie 

AFAIK at least 30 % of Jordan's population consists of people of Palestinian origin. Jordan is also struggling with the intake of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees. Jordan's population has increased six-fold in the last 50 years. Remember that all these countries are pretty poor anyway, I can sympathize they don't want to take any more displaced Palestinians. Plus, I wouldn't want to get involved in drawing lines on maps that look like the fur of a leopard.

Ah yes, of all the Arab/Muslim states, I like Jordan the most. And i'm glad to hear that they have absorbed these "refugees".

As far as drawing lines....after 1967, when Israel signed a peace treaty with Jordan, why didnt Jordan annex the west bank (the "occupied territories"). Give all the "refugees" Jordanian citizenship and maintain secure borders with Israel ?

[Taliesin]

The fallout of the leak begins, Erekat offered his resignation, then the cabinet resigned, legislative and presidential elections are being planned now for September:

BBC News - Palestinian cabinet 'resigns' as part of reshuffle

Hamas wants to boycott the elections.

I guess the idea is to use the successful revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt as an excuse to go into elections in the hope of gaining new legitimacy with a new government after the leak basically eroded it considerably for the PA.