Demographic shifts: The Palestinian population in 'historical' Palestine

In 1947, the number of Palestinians within the historical borders of Palestine was approximately two million. Around 1.3 million of them were Arabs, and the rest were Jews. 

In 1948, following the "Nakba," Zionist forces expelled around 750,000 Palestinians from their lands. In 1967, during the "Arab defeat," the occupying authorities expelled approximately 300,000 Palestinians once again.

Most of those displaced during these periods sought refuge in neighboring countries like Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria, while another group went to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and others. 

Some Palestinians were also displaced from their occupied villages but remained within the borders of Palestine, taking refuge in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Out of the 1.3 million who were in Palestine, only 156,000 Arabs remained within the occupied territories, becoming the "Arab citizens of Israel."

Over the years, their numbers have increased due to births, and today, the "Arab citizens of Israel" number reached over 2 million, representing 21 percent of Israel's population.

The difference between the "Arab citizens of Israel" and the two million Palestinians who moved to the West Bank and Gaza Strip is significant. 

The "Arab citizens of Israel," who hold Israeli citizenship, are represented in the Knesset and generally have better political and living conditions than Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In the past decade, "Arab citizens of Israel" have made significant progress in political participation and have gained substantial influence, even thwarting Benjamin Netanyahu's attempts to form a government in March 2020 because their number in the Knesset reached its peak during these elections, preventing from forming the government.