Stateless Person: A person who is not considered a national by any state under the operation
of its law.
United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine (UNCCP): The international
organ established by the UN in 1948 to protect and facilitate durable solutions for all persons
displaced during the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict in accordance with UNGA Resolution 194 and
to facilitate a solution to all outstanding issues between the parties.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): The primary body
established by the UN in 1950 mandated to provide international protection, assistance and
seek solutions for refugees worldwide.
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
(UNRWA): The international organ established by the UN in 1949 to provide humanitarian
assistance to persons displaced during the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict. The UN later requested
the Agency to provide assistance to persons displaced during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.
Zionism: A colonial political movement established in the late 19th Century by affluent
European Jews. The movement posited that the discrimination suffered by Jews could not be
overcome through fighting for equality, but only through the creation of a state run by Jews.
The Zionist movement employed religious/spiritual notions of Jews as a “chosen people”
and of “Eretz Israel”, in order to justify ‘Jewish’ colonization of Palestine. Political, material
and military support were provided by the British Empire, League of Nations and later the
United Nations, whose 1947 Partition Plan triggered armed conflict, Zionist conquest and
Palestinian mass displacement. After 1948, the major Zionist organizations (World Zionist
Organization, Jewish Agency, and Jewish National Fund) were given quasi-public status under
Israeli law and continued their mission of “ingathering of the exiles” (Zionist colonization)
and “redeeming the land” (dispossession and displacement of Palestinians). In 1975, the
UNGA determined that “Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination”.xii In response
to Israel’s precondition to participate in the Madrid Peace Conference and under the pressure
of the USA, the UNGA revoked its previous resolution in 1991.xiii
xii
xiii
xiv
See UNGA Res 3379 (XXX) (10 November 1975) UN Doc A/RES/3379(XXX) <https://undocs.org/Home/
Mobile?FinalSymbol=a%2Fres%2F3379(XXX)&Language=E&DeviceType=Desktop&LangRequested=False>
accessed 3 October 2022.
See UNGA Res 46/86 (16 December 1991) UN Doc A/RES/46/86 <https://undocs.org/Home/Mobile?FinalSy
mbol=a%2Fres%2F46%2F86&Language=E&DeviceType=Desktop&LangRequested=False> accessed 3 October
2022.