designed to embody the historic personality of the Palestinian-Arab people and the State of Israel is designed to embody the historic personality of the Israeli-Jewish people, with the Arab citizens of Israel, who constitute a fifth of all Israeli citizens, being full partners in the state.
It is clear that the return of millions of Palestinian refugees to the State of Israel would completely change the character of the state, contrary to the intentions of its founders and most of its citizens. It would abolish the principle of two states for two peoples, on which the demand for a Palestinian state is based.
All this leads to the conclusion that most of the refugees who opt for return will find their place in the State of Palestine. As Palestinian citizens they will be able to build their lives there, subject to the laws and decisions of their government.
To absorb a large number of returnees and provide them with housing and employment, the State of Palestine must receive appropriate compensation from the international fund and Israel. Also, Israel must transfer the settlements intact to the Palestinian government, after the return of the settlers to Israeli territory. When deciding upon the just and equitable division of water and other resources between Israel and Palestine, this large-scale absorption must also be taken into account.
If the border between Palestine and Israel is opened to the free movement of people and goods, according to the principles of peaceful co-existence between good neighbors, the former refugees, as Palestinian citizens, will be able to visit the places where there forefathers lived.
Return to Israel
In order to make the healing of the psychological wounds and a historic conciliation possible, there is no way to avoid the return of an appropriate number of refugees to the State of Israel. The exact number must be decided upon by a negotiation between Israel and Palestine.
This part of the plan will arouse the strongest opposition in Israel. As a matter of fact, not a single Israeli politician or thinker has dared to propose it. The extreme opposition exists both on the right and the left of the Israeli spectrum.
However, such a limited return is the natural fulfillment of the recognition in principle of the right of return and the acceptance of responsibility for the events of the past. As we shall see immediately, the opposition to it is irrational and an expression of old fears that have no basis in reality.
The government of Israel recently offered to take back a few thousands of refugees (3,000 were mentioned) annually in the framework