Phalapoem editor, 27/01/2025


The stark contrast between the return narratives of Palestinians and Israeli settlers offers a window into the deep inequalities and injustices underpinning the ongoing Israeli occupation. While Palestinians continue to live in the shadow of destruction, displacement, inhumane checkpoints, separation wall, and denial of their right to return to their homes, Israeli settlers are afforded the luxury of returning to Europe leaving behind intact homes, even as a genocidal assault unfolds in Gaza. This comparison highlights the systemic disparities in rights, agency, and humanity afforded to both groups living in Israeli apartheid.
Palestinians: A Right to Return Denied
For Palestinians, the right to return is a cornerstone of their struggle. Since the Nakba (the Catastrophe) in 1948, when over 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced, millions of Palestinian refugees and their descendants have been denied the right to return to their homes, despite this being enshrined in international law. Today, as Israeli bombs decimate Gaza, countless Palestinians face renewed displacement, many losing their homes for the second or third time.
Even when the immediate violence subsides, the idea of return remains a distant dream for most Palestinians. Israeli racist policies systematically prevent Palestinians from reclaiming their homes and lands, often replacing them with illegal settlements or military zones. The destroyed homes in Gaza, the West Bank, and historic Palestine are not merely the result of war but a deliberate and apartheid strategy of erasure, ensuring that Palestinians remain stateless and displaced.
Israeli Settlers: The Privilege of Return
In sharp contrast, Israeli settlers—many of whom are recent arrivals to the region—enjoy the privilege of dual or even multiple citizenships. As the world witnesses the Israeli army’s genocidal campaign in Gaza, some settlers have chosen to return to Europe, citing safety concerns. Their homes in Israel remain intact, untouched by the violence they often support or enable, yet their departure is met with understanding and facilitated by international networks that prioritize their comfort and security.
This privilege reflects the broader reality of the Israeli settler-colonial project: settlers can return to ancestral or adopted homelands in Europe or elsewhere, while Palestinians, whose ties to the land span generations, are denied the same right. The settlers’ mobility is a testament to the systems of power and privilege that sustain the occupation, allowing them to move freely while Palestinians remain trapped under siege or in exile.
The stark disparity in the treatment of Palestinians and Israeli settlers underscores the deeply political nature of the “right to return.” For Palestinians, it is a matter of justice, rooted in historical ties to the land and recognized by UN Resolution 194. For Israeli settlers, return is a choice, not a necessity, enabled by the same structures that deny Palestinians their basic rights.
This disparity also reflects the broader dynamics of dehumanization. Palestinians, portrayed as threats or burdens, are denied the right to rebuild their lives. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers, often seen as agents of a “civilising ” project, are afforded every opportunity to thrive, even if it means leaving their supposed homeland behind.
The ongoing genocide in Gaza further highlights the hypocrisy of these dynamics. As tens of thousands of Palestinians are killed or displaced, their calls for justice are met with indifference or outright hostility from western governments. Meanwhile, the international community quietly enables the mobility and safety of Israeli settlers, even as they benefit from or support policies that perpetuate Palestinian suffering.
This hypocrisy is most evident in the framing of the occupation. Palestinian refugees are often depicted as eternal victims or security threats, while Israeli settlers are portrayed as pioneers or victims of anti-Semitism when they choose to return to Europe. The global narrative reinforces the idea that some lives are worth protecting, while others are expendable.
The comparison between the return of Palestinians to their destroyed homes and the return of Israeli settlers to Europe exposes the profound injustices at the heart of the Israeli occupation. It is a tale of two returns: one denied by systemic violence and oppression, and the other enabled by privilege and international complicity.
For Palestinians, the right to return is not just a legal principle but a symbol of their enduring connection to the land and their resilience in the face of displacement. For Israeli settlers, the ability to leave their homes intact underscores the colonial nature of the occupation, where the land is treated as a temporary asset rather than a shared homeland.
Until these disparities are addressed and the right to return is universally recognized, the cycle of displacement and inequality will persist, denying justice and peace to millions of Palestinians.