Allali highlighted a little-known demographic aspect. He spoke of the 19th century immigration of Muslims from North Africa, the Caucasus and elsewhere, which was organised at the time to counter the increase of Jewish immigration.
Reminding people of the suffering in Muslim countries of Jews, brutally expelled from their original countries, he pleaded the cause of recognising the rights of Jews in Arabic Muslim countries. Allali argued that, for future peace, the tragedies of Palestinians and Sephardic and eastern Jews should be considered to be equivalent, and that the totally unrealistic Palestinian demand of any “right to return” should be abandoned once and for all.
Speaking of the status of Palestinian refugees, he quoted the UNRWA definition of “a Palestinian refugee”. This says that any Palestinian who was displaced by more than 2 km from his home during the 1948 conflict is a refugee, and this status is handed down from father to son. This creates a huge number of people who claim “Palestinian refugee” status and prerogatives, which is unheard of and unique in the world history of refugees.
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