Isabel Kershner, writing from Lod, Israel:
Lod’s 75,000 residents are mostly Jewish, with Arabs making up a
quarter or more of the population. Previously an Arab city known as
Lydda, it was conquered by Israeli forces in July 1948. Most of the
Arab residents were expelled — on the personal orders of David
Ben-Gurion, the leader of the new state of Israel, according to some
historical accounts — and turned into refugees. At least 250 men, women
and children were killed in the fighting; more died of exhaustion and
dehydration on the march east in the summer heat.
My mole says: "While I think it's important that they included this historical
background, I really wonder if they're covering themselves from
CAMERA-type criticism. What is the controversy that makes this so
uncertain? Why can it not be readily documented one way or the other?"
My mind says: Last month Taghreed El-Khodary, the NYT correspondent in Gaza, said that Kershner can't go into Gaza because she is an Israeli. Huh. Wouldn't it be nice to get a Palestinian's view of this history?
