Experiences and Attitudes of Cross-Border Migration Among Palestinians: Mechanisms of Destination Selection and Motivation

Based on the results of public opinion polls conducted in Arab countries, this chapter analyzes the cross-border migration of Palestinians as part of a project to elucidate the choices and motivations of people in the Middle East region in choosing their destination by analyzing and comparing the actual conditions of awareness and experiences of international migration among the residents of the surveyed areas. We will seek to elucidate the actual situation of Palestinian cross-border migration by comparing the results with those of Syria and Egypt, which have conducted similar public opinion surveys. Specifically, we will present hypotheses and conduct a quantitative analysis after depicting the types of Palestinians who have experiences and hopes of cross-border migration. The analysis in this chapter reveals that Palestinians’ choice of destination and desired destination for cross-border migration is based on a combination of multiple factors, including income, skills development, cultural proximity, network, and gender. Palestinian studies based on qualitative field research tend to emphasize refugee attributes as factors that compel cross-border migration. However, this study, which takes a quantitative approach, emphasizes the diversity found in the relationship between choice of cross-border destination and motivation.