Demographics Palestinians

1 demographics

1.1 refugees
1.2 religion
1.3 current demographics

demographics

in absence of comprehensive census including palestinian diaspora populations, , have remained within british mandate palestine, exact population figures difficult determine. palestinian central bureau of statistics (pcbs) announced @ end of 2015 number of palestinians worldwide @ end of 2015 12.37 million of number still residing within historic palestine 6.22 million.

in 2005, critical review of pcbs figures , methodology conducted american-israel demographic research group (aidrg). in report, claimed several errors in pcbs methodology , assumptions artificially inflated numbers total of 1.3 million. pcbs numbers cross-checked against variety of other sources (e.g., asserted birth rates based on fertility rate assumptions given year checked against palestinian ministry of health figures ministry of education school enrollment figures 6 years later; immigration numbers checked against numbers collected @ border crossings, etc.). errors claimed in analysis included: birth rate errors (308,000), immigration & emigration errors (310,000), failure account migration israel (105,000), double-counting jerusalem arabs (210,000), counting former residents living abroad (325,000) , other discrepancies (82,000). results of research presented before united states house of representatives on 8 march 2006.

the study criticised sergio dellapergola, demographer @ hebrew university of jerusalem. dellapergola accused authors of aidrg report of misunderstanding basic principles of demography on account of lack of expertise in subject, acknowledged did not take account emigration of palestinians , thinks has examined, birth , mortality statistics of palestinian authority. accused aidrg of selective use of data , multiple systematic errors in analysis, claiming authors assumed palestinian electoral registry complete though registration voluntary, , used unrealistically low total fertility ratio (a statistical abstraction of births per woman) reanalyse data in typical circular mistake. dellapergola estimated palestinian population of west bank , gaza @ end of 2005 3.33 million, or 3.57 million if east jerusalem included. these figures lower official palestinian figures. israeli civil administration put number of palestinians in west bank @ 2,657,029 of may 2012.

the aidrg study criticized ian lustick, accused authors of multiple methodological errors , political agenda.

in 2009, @ request of plo, jordan revoked citizenship of thousands of palestinians keep them remaining permanently in country.

many palestinians have settled in united states, particularly in chicago area.

in total, estimated 600,000 palestinians thought reside in americas. palestinian emigration south america began economic reasons pre-dated arab-israeli conflict, continued grow thereafter. many emigrants bethlehem area. emigrating latin america christian. half of of palestinian origin in latin america live in chile. el salvador , honduras have substantial palestinian populations. these 2 countries have had presidents of palestinian ancestry (antonio saca in el salvador , carlos roberto flores in honduras). belize, has smaller palestinian population, has palestinian minister – said musa. schafik jorge handal, salvadoran politician , former guerrilla leader, son of palestinian immigrants.

refugees

palestinian refugees in 1948

in 2006, there 4,255,120 palestinians registered refugees united nations relief , works agency (unrwa). number includes descendants of refugees fled or expelled during 1948 war, excludes have since emigrated areas outside of unrwa s remit. based on these figures, half of palestinians registered refugees. 993,818 palestinian refugees in gaza strip , 705,207 palestinian refugees in west bank, hail towns , villages located within borders of israel, included in these figures.

unrwa figures not include 274,000 people, or 1 in 5.5 of arab residents of israel, internally displaced palestinian refugees.

palestinian refugee camps in lebanon, syria, jordan, , west bank organized according refugee family s village or place of origin. among first things children born in camps learn name of village of origin. david mcdowall writes that, [...] yearning palestine permeates whole refugee community , ardently espoused younger refugees, whom home exists in imagination.

palestinian girl in front of demolished home in balata refugee camp, 2002.

israeli policy prevent refugees returning homes formulated david ben gurion , joseph weitz, director of jewish national fund formally adopted israeli cabinet in june 1948. in december of year un adopted resolution 194, resolved refugees wishing return homes , live @ peace neighbors should permitted @ earliest practicable date, , compensation should paid property of choosing not return , loss of or damage property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should made governments or authorities responsible. despite of international community, including president harry truman, insisting repatriation of palestinian refugees essential, israel refused accept principle. in intervening years israel has consistently refused change position , has introduced further legislation hinder palestinians refugees returning , reclaiming land , confiscated property.

in keeping arab league resolution in 1965, arab countries have refused grant citizenship palestinians, arguing threat right of return homes in palestine. in 2012, egypt deviated practice granting citizenship 50,000 palestinians, gaza strip.

palestinians living in lebanon deprived of basic civil rights. cannot own homes or land, , barred becoming lawyers, engineers , doctors.

religion
















palestinian girls in nablus



illustration of palestinian christian home in jerusalem, ca 1850. w. h. bartlett

93% of palestinians muslim, vast majority of whom followers of sunni branch of islam, small minority of ahmadiyya. palestinian christians represent significant minority of 6%, followed smaller religious communities, including druze , samaritans. palestinian jews – considered palestinian palestinian national charter adopted plo defined them jews had resided in palestine until beginning of zionist invasion  – today identify israelis (with exception of few individuals). palestinian jews universally abandoned such identity after establishment of israel , incorporation israeli jewish population, largely composed of jewish immigrants around world.

until end of 19th century, palestinian muslim villagers in countryside did not have local mosques. cross-cultural syncretism between christian , islamic symbols , figures in religious practice common. popular feast days, thursday of dead, celebrated both muslims , christians , shared prophets , saints include jonah, venerated in halhul both biblical , islamic prophet, , st. george, known in arabic el khader. villagers pay tribute local patron saints @ maqam – domed single room placed in shadow of ancient carob or oak tree. saints, taboo standards of orthodox islam, mediated between man , allah, , shrines saints , holy men dotted palestinian landscape. ali qleibo, palestinian anthropologist, states built evidence constitutes architectural testimony christian/moslem palestinian religious sensibility , roots in ancient semitic religions.

religion constitutive of individual identity accorded minor role within palestinian tribal social structure until latter half of 19th century. jean moretain, priest writing in 1848, wrote christian in palestine distinguished fact belonged particular clan. if tribe christian, individual christian, without knowledge of distinguished faith of muslim.

the concessions granted france , other western powers ottoman sultanate in aftermath of crimean war had significant impact on contemporary palestinian religious cultural identity. religion transformed element constituting individual/collective identity in conformity orthodox precepts , , formed major building block in political development of palestinian nationalism.

the british census of 1922 registered 752,048 inhabitants in palestine, consisting of 660,641 palestinian arabs (christian , muslim arabs), 83,790 palestinian jews, , 7,617 persons belonging other groups. corresponding percentage breakdown 87% christian , muslim arab , 11% jewish. bedouin not counted in census, 1930 british study estimated number @ 70,860.

bernard sabella of bethlehem university estimates 6% of palestinian population worldwide christian , 56% of them live outside of historic palestine. according palestinian academic society study of international affairs, palestinian population of west bank , gaza strip 97% muslim , 3% christian. vast majority of palestinian community in chile follow christianity, largely orthodox christian , roman catholic, , in fact number of palestinian christians in diaspora in chile alone exceeds number of have remained in homeland.

the druze became israeli citizens , druze males serve in israel defense forces, though individuals identify palestinian druze . according salih al-shaykh, druze not consider palestinian: arab identity emanates in main common language , socio-cultural background, detached national political conception. not directed @ arab countries or arab nationality or palestinian people, , not express sharing fate them. point of view, identity israel, , identity stronger arab identity .

there 350 samaritans carry palestinian identity cards , live in west bank while equal number live in holon , carry israeli citizenship. live in west bank represented in legislature palestinian national authority. commonly referred among palestinians jews of palestine, , maintain own unique cultural identity.

jews identify palestinian jews few, include israeli jews part of neturei karta group, , uri davis, israeli citizen , self-described palestinian jew (who converted islam in 2008 in order marry miyassar abu ali) serves observer member in palestine national council.

bahá u lláh, founder of baha faith, iran, ended life in acre, israel, part of ottoman empire. confined there 24 years. shrine has been erected there in honor.

current demographics

according pcbs, there estimated 4,816,503 palestinians in palestinian territories of 2016, of whom 2,935,368 live in west bank , 1,881,135 in gaza strip. according israel central bureau of statistics, there 1,658,000 arab citizens of israel of 2013. both figures include palestinians in east jerusalem.

in 2008, minority rights group international estimated number of palestinians in jordan 3 million. unrwa put number @ 2.1 million of december 2015.