Refugees

Big Idea: Clarifying reality is innately positive, whether it provides a solution or not

TOPICS

• The Issue
• The History
• The Context (Zooming Out)
• Current Global Crisis

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND VIDEO LINKS

• Deir Yassin – 50 Years War
• Benny Morris on Deir Yassin
• Arab Leaders Caused Many to Flee
• Horror of the Refugee Camps
• UNRWA Summer Camp Lessons
• Abba Eban 1958 Interview
• Palestinian Media Watch (YouTube Channel)
• 50 Years War (Recommended Full Documentary)
• Declaration of Independence

READINGS:

• Migrant crisis: Migration to Europe explained in seven charts
• Righteous Victims: A History of the Zionist-Arab Conflict, 1881-2001 pp. 161-259. Benny Morris
• The Case for Israel pp.78-91. Alan Dershowitz.

Students will know: 

The return of the Jewish Nation to their homeland is an unprecedented historical event 

• Zionism is the name of the cause behind that return 
• The Zionist narrative of the State of Israel 
• The Palestinian narrative of the State of Israel Students will understand: 
• How the two narratives address Jerusalem, refugees, and Occupation 
• How the narratives compete in the media, and on campus Students will: 
• Reflect critically on the moral and political dilemmas facing Israel 
• Articulate their personal Zionist narrative 

Big Ideas: 

• Arabs fled Israel before and during the War of Independence 
• The Palestinian refugee issue has been exacerbated by many agencies and players
• Occupation, Jerusalem and refugees are the three most contentious issues of the conflict

Key Knowledge: 

• Many refugee crises 
• Palestinian flight before and during War of Independence 
• Palestinian refugees outside of Israel 
• Military campaign and Deir Yassin 
• Right of Return 
• UNRWA

Learning Activities: 

• Defining a refugee 
• Modern refugees 
• 3 categories of Palestinians 
• War of Independence, resulting in refugees 
• Timeline 
• Operation Nachshon 
• Deir Yassin video 
• UNRWA slides 
• Future of the refugees slide