Jewish Refugees from Arab countries

[Yala]

I just read an interesting article by an Israeli woman essentially pointing out that the world community, including Israel, has basically adopted the Palestinian narrative. In my opinion, I believe that people just started out yessing these people, hoping that by appeasing them they would stop their terrorism. Unfortunately, the opposite has happened. The younger, generations of the West started totally believing this narrative, as no alternative was provided. Now it's become the "truth," similar to what we read about in 1984, etc. Sure the Israeli "PR" spokespeople talk about Sderot, but do they reject the Palestinian claims on what happened in 1948? I've never heard it.

In the meantime, our unelected Jewish leaders and organizations are busy producing anti-Semitic plays (google Seven Jewish Children + Theatre J or JCC) which retell the Palestinian narrative for the millionth time, and ignore the suffering that occurred to our people.

In any case, I believe it is the actual duty of all of our unelected Jewish leaders and organizations to start bringing our narrative to the forefront. It seems these organizations are only comfortable discussing the Holocaust, and on Holocaust Remembrance day especially I am not saying it's not important. However, there are other tragedies that befell our people and I think it is their duty to remind, or in this case inform, the world. They should start with how the Jewish refugees from Arab countries were treated. There is great ignorance, even within the Jewish community, on this topic. Growing up, I never once heard about it.

[Sharona]

I knew little about it either until I met my husband whose family were booted out of Egypt.

In his book 'Locked Doors', Itamar Levin estimates the Jewish assets seized by Nasser et al amounted to billions ($).

My husband's wider family were Egyptian/Syrian and lost everything - even their jewellery was taken from them at the port before they sailed. They were allowed to take only a suitcase with some clothes. Everything of value (i.e stamp collection, cameras etc) had to be given 'back' to the state.

Their family names were then placed on a 'blacklist' so they couldn't even go back to visit friends or see their home country as tourists. They remain Middle Eastern in their home lives but have otherwise fully assimilated into the UK and France. Their children went to University and similarly made lives for themselves.

I wish their story would be made very prominent. If only to illustrate the hypocritical attitudes of some who label Israel 'racist', whilst remaining silent on the actions of other Arab/ME nations - assuming they know about the Jewish refugees, of course. It might also illustrate the truth behind the Palestinians' on-going refugee status which is a) forced on them by their Arab 'brothers' and b) as Zuheir Mohsen clearly stated, a weapon in the battle against Israel.

If you go to YouTube and search for 'Forgotten Refugees', you'll find aspects of their story. I'd give you a link but it's best to search yourself because the film is divided into several parts and this is the best way to find them all.

There are a couple of books which deal with this issue, namely, 'The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit' by Lucette Lagnado and 'Out of Egypt' by Andre Aciman. Lucette's book is very easy to read and, although she was part of the exodus, she was just a child so the story is mostly about her father.

[redcake]

There are a number of chapters which need correcting:

It's not "racist" to state that the Palestinian identity is based on fiction.
Israel wasn't created due to Holocaust guilt.
1948 was not a genocide, despite Arab attempts.
There is no segregation, or apartheid in Israel.
Israel represents a minority, and they are the David in any David v. Goliath scenario.

[Yala]

I think falling into the "Palestinians are an invented nationality" is a trap. Whoever, they were, they are now a people. But I see no reason why people shouldn't become informed that Jordan was carved out of Palestine. I would bet my house that 95% of Pro-Palestinians don't know this. If Palestinians are a people, why don't they mind that 80% of their "homeland" was given to (Saudi) Arabians? If this conflict is really about land, why aren't they bothered? Why isn't this ever brought up in debates? Why aren't Jewish refugees ever brought up? Afraid of offending Arab sensibilities? In debates between aggressive Arab intellectuals who support jihad vs Israeli consul personnel all I hear is apologizing from the Israeli/Jewish side. Why the hell are we on the defensive? Who respects a groveling chronic apologizer?

I agree with your other points.