Issues

Palestine

Letter to CNN Your World Today

Posted on Monday June 19, 2006

Dear CNN Your World Today:

Thank you for the airing a television segment on June 20 about Palestinian refugees. Your willingness to shed light on the experience of the nearly 1 million Palestinians who lost their homes in 1948, and the current humanitarian crisis in Palestine, is well-timed on World Refugee Day.

Many people forget that Palestinians were displaced almost 60 years ago, and have ended up in refugee camps with abysmal living conditions, or in countries far from home. Now, the financial crisis, due to several factors including lack of progress in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, Israeli-enforced security measures and movement restrictions and the withdrawal of funding to the Palestinian Authority (PA) after Hamas won in January’s Legislative election, is threatening the lives of Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

I appreciate your efforts to draw attention to Palestinians who live in limbo inside and outside of Palestine. It is my hope that refugees throughout the world can be protected – and even return to their homes someday.

Sincerely,

Christine Saah Nazer
Arab American Institute
Director of Communications