(1953-1960) The Role of the US Congress' Investigative Missions in the Palestinian Refugees Issue during the Eisenhower Era (1953-1960)

Abstract

This study aims at investigating the role of the US congress missions and their impact on the decisions of the US government during the Eisenhower era in the period between (1953-1960).

The researchers relied on documents of the US State Department, and some relevant sources and references. And they followed the historical research methodology and the descriptive analytical method in studying those documents to infer the extent of the impact of these missions on American decision-making, without ignoring the circumstances and developments surrounding the refugee issue.

Since taking office in 1953, the US President Eisenhower paid attention to the Palestinian cause in general and the Palestinian refugee issue in particular. However, it seems that this interest falls within the framework of facilitating the involvement of Israel in the regional system and the Middle Eastern alliances in the face of the Soviet Union.

Members of the congress led a campaign to press the US administrations to end the Palestinian refugee cause. Either motivated by humanitarian motives or by a desire to support Israel, these missions failed due to their deviation from the essence of solving the Palestinian refugee issue, which is the right of return and compensation based on the United Nations resolutions.