Addressing the root problem

[ProgressiveMuslim]

Edith Garwood, The Charlotte Observer, Apr 22, 2008


Sixty years ago, more than 700,000 Palestinians were forced from their homes, not knowing where they were going, not knowing when they would return. This displacement of over half of the indigenous inhabitants of Palestine created the largest and oldest refugee population today and is the root of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. This tragedy is called Al Nakba in Arabic.

We are often told the Palestinians fled of their own accord, but British and Israeli archives opened in the late 1970s tell a different story. The indigenous Arabs - Muslim, Christian, secular - were systematically driven out of areas desired for a new Jewish state.

Jews fleeing anti-Semitism in Europe started migrating to Palestine in the mid-19th century. The United Nations, attempting to quell conflicts between indigenous inhabitants and the new immigrants, proposed dividing the area.

Jewish immigrants accepted it, but the Arab side rejected it as unjust as it gave 55 percent of the land to the new immigrants while they were only one-third of the population and owned only 7 percent of the land at the time.

Arabs were expelled or fled

Archives show armed Jewish militias expelled Arabs using home demolitions, massacres, rape, beatings, bombings and widespread threats of terror. Some 300,000 were expelled before Israel declared itself an independent state in May 1948. Another 400,000 Palestinians were driven out or simply fled in the fighting that ensued.There are approximately 7 million Palestinians today, with 4 million still living as refugees in neighboring Arab countries as well as in the Israeli Occupied Palestinian Territories. After 60 years of dead-end peace initiatives, all parties are frustrated, especially in the refugee camps where frustration is spiraling and hope is dead.

Peace negotiations continue to fail because the root problem is not considered a priority. Negotiators and parties of the conflict are so anxious to alleviate the immediate suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians that the refugee issue is not sufficiently addressed.

The Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory, rocket fire into Israel, illegal settlement growth, checkpoints, suicide bombers, the crippled Palestinian economy, The Wall, and the lack of adequate access to medicine, food and clean water require attention, but are only outgrowths of the root problem - the ethnic cleansing of Palestine.

U.N. mediator Count Folke Bernadotte stated in 1948: "No settlement can be just and complete if recognition is not accorded to the right of the Arab refugee to return to the home from which he has been dislodged by the hazards and strategy of the armed conflict between Arabs and Jews in Palestine. The majority of these refugees have come from the territory which, under the Assembly resolution of 29 November, was to be included in the Jewish State. The exodus of Palestinian Arabs resulted from panic created by fighting in their communities, by rumors concerning real or alleged acts of terrorism, or expulsion. It would be an offence against the principles of elemental justice if these innocent victims of the conflict were denied the right of return to their homes while Jewish immigrants flow into Palestine, and, indeed, at least offer the threat of permanent replacement of the Arab refugees who have been rooted in the land for centuries."

More...
http://imeu.net/news/article008519.shtml

[Vegasaurus]

1. What elephant in the room?

4.5 refugees returning to Israel turns Israel into yet another Muslim state.

Israel is a Jewish state. There are 22 Muslim nations that surround Israel already.

Israel is not suicidal, and is not going to make an agreement that will allow "right of return" as this article suggests.

Israel has long said there would be compensation and return for "some" refugees.

There is no way in hell that four and a half million Palestinians are coming into Israel and it is no elephant in the room at all.

If this is the Palestinian sticking point, they will never have a state.

[azurnoir]

3. Your claim that 4,500,000 Palestinians

would "flood" into Israel is nothing but hysterical propaganda not to mention arrogance. For Israel to allow a "right of return" would also be admitting to wrong doing during the "War of Liberation" some thing no matter how many archive records have proved it, Israel will never admit too.

Realistically just how many Palestinians want to live in Israel? Most Palestinians have never set foot there and would most likely be happy if Israeli's were satisfied to live in Israel rather than the West Bank, but that won't happen soon either, Israel wants the water table to support it's economy and population and will use any reason to keep it.

[Vegasaurus]

4. Most Arabs who live in Israel currently

want to stay there, even if a future Palestinian state is formed.

The education, economy, etc. of Israel offers a far better standard of living to Palestinians than anywhere else in the Arab world (like in Lebanon, for example, where they aren't even allowed the most menial of jobs).

Of course, they would want to flood in.

[azurnoir]

7. Israeli Arabs want to stay in Israel

so Palestinians would too? Or an Arab is an Arab is an Arab? That is what your saying? Or are we back too Israeli Arabs=Palestinians (the secret enemy within)? Your comparison gives away something much deeper.

[Vegasaurus]

8. Gives away what?

The standard if living, democratic rights of all people (you aren't hung if you are gay, or stoned if you have an affair), ability to pursue an education (if you are a woman too) make Israel attractive to all. It has a far better standard of living than any country in the middle east.

But Israel won't be entertaining the idea of an influx of 4.5 million people, many of whom are hostile enemies, anyway, so this argument is purely academic.

[azurnoir]

9. So stoning is common

on the WB? Or is it Pakistan or Somalia, who cares they're all Muzzies right? That seems to be your attitude.
At first I thought it just applied to Arabs living within area of Israel, but I see I wrong.

[Vegasaurus]

11. The Muzzies? nt

[Boojatta]

2. "This displacement of over half of the indigenous inhabitants of Palestine"

It would be easier to establish that they were legal residents. How do we know that they were indigenous? In that part of the world, there is a long history of wars and population movements.

[msmcghee]

5. Benny Morris has just written an article that attempts to clairify . .

. . his current view on the exodus of Arabs from the area that would become Israel in 1948. This is only for those who appreciate attempts to home in on a view of history that stands the test of time from various perspectives. This is one such attempt. Anyway, enjoy.

http://www.tnr.com/story.html?id=0e100478-298c-438c-a994-e1800474ad19&p=1

[The Magistrate]

10. That Sounds Like A Book Worth Getting, Ma'am

Thank you for the link.

[Dick Dastardly]

6. The article makes many false statements or omits certain facts to give a false picture

Most were not forced or driven out by Jewish Militias nor did were they using the methods described which were isolated incedents when some did occur. The fact is they fled or heeded calls to leave by the Arab leaders. There was exaggerations from both sides that contributed to a panic also. Press reports from the time fail to mention forced expulsions by Jewish forces or the accusations. There is plenty of evidence that shows quite the opposite from the media at the time. I can post plenty of this if you want.

Many of the refugees at UN camps were actually just poor destitute Arabs who were not refugees from Palestine. Most of the Arab Population was not rooted in Palestine for centuries but were recent immigrants who came for the economic opportunities that were due to the Jewish immigrants


Most of the mandate was split off into what is now Jordan. The partition of the rest into two was done where each was the majority. Most of the land (70%)was state owned according to British statistics, Jews owned 9% and the Arabs owned 3% in the Jewish Area and 18% was owned by absentee landlords. While the Jews got 55% of the post Jordan partition a large portion was the Negev desert.