Al-majdal is an ongoing periodical published by BADIL (Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights). Based in Jerusalem, the human rights organisation believes ‘the only feasible and durable solution’ to the conflict is one based on ‘rights and justice’. Its contributions include human rights lawyers and those seeking a legal recognition of Palestinian statehood and rights.

Issue No. 18 from June 2003 reflects on the shortcomings of the Oslo Accords 1993. 

The Oslo Accords proposed a ‘Road Map’ to a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. The agreement, however, failed to  recognise Palestinian refugee rights as a human rights issue:  ‘The Road Map merely calls for an “agreed, just, fair, and realistic solution to the refugee issue” – whatever that means’. This means that Palestinian refugees have less protection under international law.

The issue sees this as a fundamental oversight and a significant ‘roadblock’ that would limit the power of international law.

The Commonweal Collection includes around 40 copies of Al-majdal published between 1999-2014. Other materials in the Collection about conflict in the Middle East (Vj) can be found on the catalogue here.

Josie Mulligan (Commonweal volunteer).

A full list of over 1,700 magazines, newsletters, bulletins and journals that are in the Collection can be found here.