Arab Literary Travels

Nadeen Abou-Hossa: Background Page

In order to understand the intersections I bring up in my map with regards to Palestinian and Syrian refugees in Lebanon, it is important to know the context of the groups' situations. First off, it is crucial to understand the nakba in 1948. Which was the year that Israel gained independence, or was created as nation for the jews. The Jews see this year as a great victory, while the Palestinians see it as a catastrophe, because it was the year that many of them were forced to leave their homes. Majority of the Palestinians went to Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan after this war. After 1948, there were many other events which forced more Palestinians to leave their homeland. In addition to this, it's important to also know about the Syrian Civil War in order to understand this project. It's important to realize the abruptness of this war and how until today, Syrians are fleeing and not able to find shelter because of the other refugees that are present in the region. Lastly, since I am focusing on how the presence of these refugees in Lebanon, it is also necessary to understand the history of Lebanon and the events that happened during the Lebanese Civil War, because the Palestinian refugees definitely played a role in this war, and the ones that lived through it, very much became a part of the Lebanon that there is today. On the same note, when looking at the Sabra and Shatila Massacre that happened during the Lebanese Civil War, it is interesting to see the role that Israel played in Lebanon and also compare that to their role on Palestinian land in 1948. All of this history is very relevant and essential in order to evaluate the commonalities between these groups of refugees and recognize the meaning of their presence in Lebanon today. 

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