The Palestinian Refugees – Myth and Reality
By
Yoram Ettinger
On the question of THE JEWISH STATE AND A PALESTINIAN
STATE: MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE OR INCLUSIVE? Did you know that a Palestinian
refugee, according to UNRWA, was any Arab who stayed in Israel
for two years prior to 1948? Here are the basic facts:
* There were
100 million refugees in the world since Second World War, and
80 million refugees during 1933-1945. Most are no longer refugees.
Only the Arabs have perpetuated the Palestinian refugees, as a
means to destroy Israel.
* 820,000
JEWISH REFUGEES and 300,000 PALESTINIAN REFUGEES were produced
by a war launched, against Israel, by the Palestinians and the
Arab states.
* 300,000
PALESTINIAN REFUGEES: 800,000 Arabs resided in the country in
November 1947 and 170,000 upon the conclusion of Israel’s War
of Independence. Of the 630,000, 100,000 were allowed to return,
100,000 were absorbed in Arab countries, 50,000 Bedouins joined
their tribes in Jordan and Sinai, 50,000 were migrant laborer
who returned to their homes in Arab countries.
* A PALESTINIAN
REFUGEE, according to UNRWA, was any Arab who stayed in the country
for two years prior to 1948.
* A MAJOR
MIGRATION FROM MUSLIM COUNTRIES, especially to the coastal plain,
took place during 1830-1947. MOST PALESTINIAN REFUGEES resided
in the coastal plain.
MOST PALESTINIAN REFUGEES WERE ARAB MIGRANTS
* The origin
of most Palestinian refugees was from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan,
Algeria and Libya, migrating during 1830-1947. The Arab population
of Jaffa, Haifa and Ramleh grew 17, 12 and 5 times during 1880-1947.
* "30,000-36,000
SYRIANS migrated to Palestine in recent months" (Syrian daily,
La Syrie, Aug. 12, 1934).
* JAFFA ABSORBED
ARABS FROM 15 COUNTRIES, who populated some "Egyptian Neighborhoods":
Abu Kabir, Salameh, Sumeil, Sheikh Muneis, Feja, etc. Egyptian
occupation (1831-1840) produced thousands of Egyptian migrants
in Jaffa, Petach Tiqva, Hadera, Kalansawa, Acre, Beit She’an,
Nablus, etc.
* THOUSANDS
OF ARAB MIGRANT LABORERS were imported by the Ottoman Empire and
Britain for infrastructure projects, and as a result of the expansion
of Jewish businesses, while severe British measures limited Jewish
Aliya.
CAUSES OF PALESTINIAN REFUGEES
* ABU MAZEN:
"Arab armies forced Palestinians to leave their homes."
("Filastin A-Thawra", March 1976).
* London Economist (Oct. 2, 1948):" The most
potent factor [in the flight of Palestinians] was the announcements
made by the Arab-Palestinian Higher Executive, urging all Haifa
Arabs to quit…It was clearly intimated that Arabs who remained
in Haifa would be regarded as renegades."
* THE FLIGHT
OF THE ARAB ELITE (BEFORE THE WAR), the INTER-PALESTINIAN GANG
WAR (as it was during 1936-39) and the ARAB DEFEAT on the battle
field, expanded the number of refugees. Many returned to their
countries of origin.
* "[ARAB
LEADERS] ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FLIGHT… They disseminated rumors
exaggerating Jewish atrocities…They instilled fear in the hearts
of the Arabs, until they fled, leaving their homes…" (Jordan’s
"Al-Urdoun", April 9, 1953).
* In 1948,
The BRITISH MANDATE urged Jewish and Arab minorities to evacuate
mixed towns. The Arabs evacuated (Tiberias, etc.) and the Jews
stayed and prevailed (Safed, etc.).
MISREPRESENTATION OF THE PALESTINIAN REFUGEE PHENOMENON
has been intended to de-legitimize Israel and to legitimize the
"claim of return", as a means to destroy Israel.