Press Release: EMET Announces its Support for Right of Return Act

EMET Announces its Support for Right of Return Act (November 26, 2014, Washington, DC) – Today, the Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET) endorsed H.R. 5734, the Right of Return Act, sponsored by United States Congressman Steve Stockman (R-TX).

The Right of Return Act seeks to further the cause for establishing a true peace between Israelis and Arabs. Currently, Arabs classified as Palestinians are the only refugees in the world that are denied the fundamental right of resettlement. Further, polling has shown that large numbers of this population, if given the opportunity, would indeed be eager to move to other countries.

This legislation seeks to rectify this injustice. It requires the U.S. Secretary of State to call on the relevant nations to increase the standard of living of those living in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza by granting those Arab residents citizenship in the countries that originally controlled them — Jordan and Egypt — from 1949 to 1967, and by extending Israeli sovereignty over the territories in question. It also gives these Arabs a right of return to those countries.

The bill also requires that no funds appropriated by the U.S. Congress may be expended to provide any U.S. assistance, loan guarantee, or debt relief to the Palestinian Authority (P.A.) as long as part of the P.A. unity government refuses to allow such a right of return for its population. The legislation also would standardize U.N. refugee regulations, so that these Arab refugees are allowed to return to their host countries in accordance with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (U.N.H.C.R.) regulations, but not through the abnormal and ahistorical regulations of United Nations Relief and Works Agency (U.N.R.W.A.), which has acted to prevent even a single Arab from resettling. Finally, the bill transfers all U.S. assistance, loan guarantees, and debt relief that currently is sent to U.N.R.W.A. to instead be used to assist those Arabs, who exercise their right of return.

EMET Founder and President Sarah Stern said, “Arab terrorism and incitement against Jews has destroyed any steps towards the ‘two-state’ solution, and P.A. President Mahmoud Abbas has repeatedly said he will never recognize Israel as a Jewish State.” Stern continued, “It is imperative that an effort be made to establish a true and lasting peace between Israelis and Arabs, make a better life for both Arabs and Israelis, and advance American interests in stabilizing the Middle East and protecting our allies in that region, but this will not happen under the current ‘two-state’ paradigm.” Stern added, “H.R. 5734, the Right of Return Act, sponsored by U.S. Congressman Steve Stockman, is one such potential solution. EMET endorses this legislation so as to prod all parties to continue to think ‘outside- the-box’ in the search for ways to end this conflict peacefully. Millions of lives depend on us finding a way to make peace a reality between Arabs and Israelis.”

Founded in 2005, EMET’s mission is to educate policymakers in Washington and the general public about the importance of Israel to the United States in their common struggle against radical Islam. For more information, please visit www.emetonline.org.