Press Releases

3rd Annual Land and Housing Conference on: PALESTINIAN REFUGEES and the INTERNALLY DISPLACED WITHIN ISRAEL

BADIL Resource Center
17 March 2003
For Immediate Release


On the OCCASION OF THE 27th ANNIVERSARY OF LAND DAY

The Arab Center for Alternative Planning & The National Forum of Arab Mayors

Cordially Invite You

To the 3rd Annual Land and Housing Conference on:

PALESTINIAN REFUGEES and the INTERNALLY DISPLACED WITHIN ISRAEL

Wednesday, March 26th 2003

Al-A'ain Hotel (Howard Johnson)

Nazareth

------------------------------------------

Today, approximately 250,000 Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel are internally displaced (25% of the total Palestinian Arab population of Israel) as a result of the Israeli government's past destruction and demolition of their towns and villages and remain denied their right to return to their homes, towns and villages. Moreover, due to increased political instability in the state of Israel, a significant percentage of the Palestinian Arab minority are threatened with possible forced eviction from their homes and lands by government institutions, thus being made into refugees.  The rights of the Palestinian refugees and internally displaced to return to their home towns is a crucial matter at the heart of the Israel-Palestinian conflict and is a key issue in collective, individual and civil rights.  As an institution representing the genuine needs and interests of the Palestinian citizens in Israel, ACAP dedicates its annual conference to examining different aspects of the refugees and displaced Palestinians within Israel.  Among the invitees are Arab political and professional leadership, institutional and governmental officials, representatives of the international community, local and foreign media agencies, university professors and students and community activists.  We hope to see you among our guests.

 

Note: Simultaneous translations will be provided in three languages (Arabic, English, and Hebrew); Registration Fee: 50 NIS; for reservations or further details, please contact the ACAP offices at 04-678-3636.

 

 

CONFERENCE ITINERARY

9:00 – 9:30: Registration

9:30 – 9:45: Welcome and Opening Remarks

Mr. Shawki Khatib- Head of the Higher Follow-Up Committee on Arab Affairs and National Forum of Arab Mayors

9:45 – 10:00: Introductory Remarks, Dr. Hanna Swaid- Chairperson, ACAP; Mayor of Eilaboun

 

Session 1

Palestinian Refugees and Internally Displaced Within Israel. Moderator:  Advocate Wakim Wakim, The Association for the Defense of the Rights of Internally Displaced

10:00 – 10:45: Sociological Research on the Internally Displaced Citizens in Israel

Key Note Speaker:  Dr. Hillel Cohen, Visiting Fellow, Department of War Studies, King's College, London

10:45 – 11:00 Welcome Statement and Brief Remarks, Dr. Salman Abu-Sitta, Chairperson, The Palestinian Return Centre, London (via phone communication with Dubai)

11:00 – 11:15: Discussion and Questions

11:15 – 11:30: Coffee Break

11:30 – 12:00: Israeli Law and the Internally Displaced Citizens. Usama Halabi, Advocate and Community Activist

12:00 – 12:30: International Law and Durable Solutions. Terry Rempel, Coordinator of Research and Information, BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights

12:30 – 13:00: International Experience:  Repatriation of Bosnia Refugees. Mr. Paul Prettitore, Legal Advisor, Human Rights Institutions

13:00 - 13:30: Political Discourse of the Internally Displaced:  Between Return and Identity Affirmation, research of Prof. Nadim Rouhana and Areej Sabagh-Khoury, Arab Center for Applied Research (MADA)

13:30 -14:15  Lunch

 

Session 2

Official Land Policies and House Demolitions. Moderator- Mrs. Badria Biromi, Urban Planner, ACAP

14:15 – 14:45: Threat of Governmental Plans to Destroy and Uproot Unrecognized Villages in the Negev

Dr. Amer Al Huzayal, Strategic Planner, Rahat Municipality

14:45 – 15:15: Land Policies and House Demolition Practices. Dr. Sandy Kedar, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Haifa University     

15:15 -16:15: Presentations of Field Studies Conducted on House Demolitions

1. Urban Informality and the Right to Return to the City:  The Case of Lod. Mr. Haim Yacobi, Dept of Geography, Ben-Gurion University, BIMKOM- Planners for Planning Rights

2. The Case of Baqa Al-Garbiah. Mrs. Badria Biromi, ACAP

3. Preliminary Results of National Field Study. Mr. Samer Mouallem, ACAP

16:15- 17:00 Closing Remarks, Discussion, and Recommendations