1948 and the Jews of the Arab world forced out of their homes after Israel's
founding. Both groups lost their homes and property and deserve either to
return or to receive compensation. But there is a difference with the
Jews. Since the Arab world kicked them out and since they had no where to
go but Israel and since they are the majority of Israeli Jews, this lends a
great deal of credence to the moral and legal right of this Jewish state to
exist. There is not a word about this in anything written by the advocates
for the displaced Palestinians, except to dismiss it as a negotiating
point. But tell that to the Jews of Yemen, Iraq or Syria who were forced
to leave their homes and move to Israel. Those of us in the Israel
peace camp understand the misery and displacement of the Palestinians. But
many of us cannot find a negotiating partner because of intentional, I think,
blindness of the folks on the other side. This doesn't make for an easy
resolution to a conflict. Nor does it engender sympathy for people looking to be
sympathetic.
Steve, quick response from me, Phil: To me, this says Cycle of violence. The Jews kick out the Arabs, the Arabs kick out the Jews. It's been going on for 80 years. As an American, I want to be shut of this mess. I want a fair resolution. One problem here is that the Jews kicked out of Arab societies have had–facts on the ground–pretty good lives, while the Palestinians pushed out in '48 haven't. Palestinians have been on the short end of the stick forever. Refugees in Arab societies, massacred in Jordan, bantustanned in Israel. And I hear the Syrians don't like the Palestinians either. We've got to come up with a solution that gives these people dignity, fairness and: a chance. I believe in the right of return because I think Israelis have been–facts on the ground– exercising their right of return, to Judea and Samaria, a biblical utopia, for 40 years. Why not let everyone go back who wants to go back, Jew and Arab? Ralph Seliger says this isn't the principle of World War II refugees. Right. But a lot of them got a whole state: Israel. And international convention changed after WWII to the point where we have UN 194 for the Arabs and recent UN resolutions saying the Bosnians could go back to their lands. And I guess this is where I don't think Zionism provides a good answer…
