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History of Palestinians in Los Angeles

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Ethnicity in Los Angeles

Los Angeles County contains a community of Palestinian Americans.[1]

There are about 15,000 Palestinians in Greater Los Angeles.

History

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The first wave of Palestinian migration to the United States occurred in 1908 when the Ottoman Empire began mandating military service for Palestinians. [1] The second wave came after the 1948 Palestinian expulsion and flight during the 1948 Palestine war.[1][2] This expulsion or flight, which displaced more than 700,000 people, is known by Palestinians as the Nakba. The third and largest wave occurred in 1967 as a result of the Six-Day War in Israel. Although the majority of Palestinian immigrants settled on the East Coast, economic opportunity brought large concentrations of Palestinians to Los Angeles.[1]

Demographics

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No reliable immigration or census figures exist for Palestinian Americans. The count of Palestinian-Americans is complicated by the lack of a Middle East origin box to check on Census forms, leading the majority of Palestinians to self report as "white."[3] The population of the Palestinian diaspora in California is estimated to be 57,222 (after adjusting for undercounting), of which approximately 15,000 live in Los Angeles County.[4] Foreign born Palestinians in Los Angeles County originate mostly from Asia and the Middle East, followed by Latin America.[5]

Discrimination

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In the 1970s, a series of terrorist attacks took place against prominent Palestinian-American activists and institutions, culminating in the murder of anti-discrimination activist Alex Odeh in Santa Ana in 1985.[6] In 1987, eight Palestinians were arrested in Los Angeles. They were charged under an antiquated anti-communism law called the McCarran-Walter Act that accused them of "supporting an organization that advocated world communism" for their possible association with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.[7] According to the ACLU, the eight were "prosecuted for ideas, beliefs and thoughts of a magazine for which none have been writers or editors.”[8]

Economy

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As of 2010, there were 1,793 Palestinians over the age of 16 living in the Los Angeles County area, 65% of whom were in the labor force (employed or seeking employment).[5] The unemployment rate at this time was 2.8%: much lower than the national average for the USA.[5] The majority of Palestinians in LA work in the private sector (65% of workers), with 18.4% employed by the Government and 10.2% self-employed.[5] The management, business, science and arts sector employs the highest percentage of Palestinians in LA, followed by sales and office work.[5] Based on the 893 total households included in 2010 US Census data, the mean household income for Palestinians in LA County was $96,729: higher than the national average for the USA.[5]

Education

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The majority of Palestinians in LA enrolled in school attend elementary school, followed by graduate school and college. 46.8% of the Palestinian Diaspora in LA over 25 years old hold a bachelor's degree or higher and 89.6% are educated to high school level or higher.[5]

Institutions

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The Palestinian diaspora in Los Angeles has a variety of organizations and institutional groups.

Political organizations with chapters in Los Angeles include: Al-Awda, dedicated to the Palestinian right of return,[9] Palestinian American Women's Association, which works toward the empowerment and education of Arab American women and children,[10] and American Muslims for Palestine, which works toward educating people about Palestine in order to motivate changes in US foreign policy regarding Palestine.[11]

Los Angeles County also has humanitarian relief organizations such as: Palestinian Children's relief, a non profit which focuses on providing medical relief and aid for younger Palestinians in the Middle East,[12] and Islamic Relief which provides humanitarian aid to communities after disasters.[13]

Notable persons

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Kurson, Ken. "Palestinian Americans". Countries and Their Cultures. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  2. ^ McDowall, David; Claire Palley (1987). The Palestinians. Minority Rights Group Report no 24. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-946690-42-8.
  3. ^ "Are Arabs and Iranians white? Census says yes, but many disagree". www.latimes.com. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  4. ^ "Arab American Institute Foundation Census for California" (PDF).
  5. ^ a b c d e f g US Census Bureau, 2006-2010 American Community Survey
  6. ^ "Los Angeles Intifada". Michigan Quarterly Review. 2020-10-14. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  7. ^ Cole, David; Bennis, Phyllis (Winter 1996). "Ten Years of the Los Angeles Eight Deportation Case: Interview with David Cole". Middle East Report. 202 (Power, Poverty and Urban Survival): 41. doi:10.2307/3013042. JSTOR 3013042.
  8. ^ Gabriel, Judith. "Palestinians Arrested in Los Angeles Witch-hunt". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  9. ^ "FAQs about Al-Awda". Al-Awda: The Palestine Right to Return Coalition. September 23, 2014.
  10. ^ "Palestinian Women's Association".
  11. ^ "American Muslims for Palestine". Archived from the original on 2014-11-14. Retrieved 2014-11-24.
  12. ^ "Palestinian Children's Relief". Archived from the original on 2014-11-20. Retrieved 2014-11-24.
  13. ^ "Islamic Relief".
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