Jews Arab The
Reading of Postcolonial A
Ethnicity Religion, and Nationalism,
Shenhav Yehouda
STANFORD
UNIVERSITY
PRESS •
Stanford,
California 2006
CHAPTER 4
What the Do Arab Jews the and
Palestinians Have Common? in
Population Exchange, Right the of Return,
the of and Politics Reparations
already
An between exists
the and account Arab us
world: the
the of that compensation
account
accrues
the Arabs who the left territory to of Israel and
abandoned
their The that property... has
act
been perpetrated by kingdom the Iraq... of now
forces
link
the
to shall We take two accounts us
into the value of Jewish the account that property
has been frozen Iraq calculating when in the
that compensation have
undertaken
to we
pay
the Arabs who abandoned Israel. Noperty in
Foreign --Israel's Sharett, Minister Moshe
March 1951
July
In
president the the of States, Clinton, United Bill that announced 2000,
had been reached agreement
Camp the David second
at meeting an summit
recognize the "refugees"; Arab Jews to
that and
international
fund
as
•
an
would be
established provide
for they compensation the to
had
left property
behind
they when immigrated during
Israel
the
The to immediate
195os.
po'
litical significance
of declaration
this
help Israel's prime
the to
minister
at
was
i•
time, Ehud Barak,
mobilize Party Shas
(the to
majority whom of voters
are
Jews descent) of
Arab
of in the "peace called
support process." However,
so
:.•
underlying the logic of
the announcement--defining
the Arab Jews
as
refugees
responded
deeper political theory
developed that
to Israel in
a
was
if!,:,
the in counterbalance the PalestinJan collective rights to of.the 195os
refugees.
It therefore, surprising, is
that Palestinians not the around !i world
re-
acted with
this
to In garb, its the contemporary rage announcement. 110
Common? Palestinians Have and the in Arab Jews What the Do
proposed with theory--was exchange" "population theory--known the
as
ex•pulsion of Palestinians responsibility the denying for Israel's of the
aim
•he
1967, demands in• alleviate compensate 1948 and Palestine from to
to
so-called
chip the bargaining
against refugees, and Palestinian
to
serve as a
exchange
population
practical initiative the right all of For
return.
purposes,
exodus regard the wrongdoing
with legitimize
Israel's used
to
to
mass was
following
1948. refugees the expulsion) In of the Palestinian (not in two
to
say
theory,
exchange population political history of the lay chapters, the
out
Arab refugees and the
alleged Palestinian the between the focus
nexus
on
logic, critically by examining theory and•challenge validity of its the the Jews,
political Israeli standing moral ramifications, and historical in contemporary
culture.
theory
of together clear
Israel has of while the that
put state
ex- a
argue
refugees, Palestinian its and regarding Jews of Arab change the property
po-
theory population-exchange least adoption regarding the of the at sition
was,
endorsed the ambiguous.
Whereas July the government rather until
•ooo,
described "con-
be that official position formed practice, idea it
in
as can an
opening fearful of ambiguity. Israeli The structed
''4 government a was
explicit
formulate
consolidate neither decided and
Pandora's Box to to
an nor
"need" and the
population subject. policy be the to management
To
sure,
on
the highest of priori•ties
Jewish Israel the majority state achieve in
were a
unpredictable.
Whether highly
and the construction, under
outcome
was
of majority expulsion responsibility the for the assumed Jewish leaders not• or
population
in the Palestinian the exodus of
about relieved learn them
to
were
predicted arrival the reliably nobody have could however, 1948. point, this Af
exodus,
Palestinian
the offset Jews of Arab hundred of thousands of to mass
that the
the
Iraq Arab from Jews only of with immigration in the
It 195os was
exchange population
partially the
entertained the of Isr•ieli government
use
for However,
accounting theory national further strategy. its spec- to reasons
explicated, d'•tat.
admitted, raison below,
its
Israel the of ified
state
or never
the
position policy, about
remained its nuclear with As it its vagae popu-
on
the first Iraq exchange arrive The of Jews
question. lation to masse en were
historical with
Israel. of establishment of the after the two start
state
anec-
cl•allenge and regarding immigration this that the narrative dotes Zionist
the show how then manipulated
by Israel. the of they I show how state
were
counterbal- immigration and used this seized the of Israel to state moment
refugees. Palestinian the claims
of the ance
the
of
conclusion official after the half
January about In
oper-
year
19•z,
a
and
Yosef Israel, Basri
activists, brought Iraq's Jews Zionist that ation to two 111
Common? Palestinians Have and the in Jews Arab the What Do
charged with They Baghdad. hanged had been
Salah,
in Shalom pos-
were
the city throwing bombs .explosive materials in and center. of session
Hillel• cabinet Israeli minister former of Shlomo According
the account
to
a
gallows
the they stood
words last Iraq,
their
and activist in Zionist
were on as
only been have (Hille11985: 34z). would It nat- Israel" "Long of live the state
hang-
of the with reacted
have Israel Jews Iraqi outrage ural for to
in to
news
organized by of leaders assemblies
mourning the
the
ings. But contrary,
on
solidarity
widespread community
failed Israeli cities the various to in
arouse
classified communication
opposite; the Iust Iraqi
with the Zionistsl
two a
the Middle Ministry's East Division the Foreign of to Moshe from Sasson
Iraqi immigrants, resi- that said Sharer Moshe Foreign then Minister
many
"That attitude: hanging greeted the with had the dents of the
transit camps,
depths.
bit- brought This such
''6
that the God's to
is movement
us revenge
on
newly
arrived
the
degree discontent of
reaction acute
attests to among ter
an
their
did
immi- good of them view number that Jews. Iraqi not It suggests
a
community's depicted by
Zionist the
Zion joyous the gration
return to ac-
as
they blamed the
blaming Iraqi the Rather, government, addition in tivists. to
include
did
that Israel for bringing them
for not Zionist to movement reasons
themselves. immigrants of the the best interests
Israeli
the called
meeting
later, May
urgent at Three in
1955,
was
years an
general office's
the
participants Among the Ministry. Foreign
manager
were
concerned
meeting the Mossad, Those Hard. head and the of Isser at
were
for late Iraq the arrested
J•ews in who fact in that with the
194os mem-
were
the (and
make im- did who Party it into bership the Communist not in
mass
released from 195o-51) been had
Israel Iraqi Jews of migration in
to
now
"top
classified
meeting's minutes, Israel. The Cyprus
and prison via to
sent as
that notify Iraqi it the would government Israel not stated that secret,"
was
indi-
automatically, "unless
receive Iraq from Jew ready
accept to
we
every
potential
candidate
each consider beforehand, and vidual information
we
employ
of
the
Return Law
words, decision
separately. other it In ''8 to
se-
was a
lectively.
brought
Iraq's Jews of how the anecdotes
these story As suggest, two were
opportunity reexamine affords
Israel tO newly of established the to
state
an
Jews Arab relationship the between historiography's theory the about
Zionist
1948.
expelled fled who in refugees
who Palestinian
and the
or were
and immigration challenge narrative official the Certainly,
anecdotes these
the. historiography, describes which
associated with Zionist the biases attest to
"Operation Ziohist Ezra the which known
in Iraqi immigration is
epos as
up,"
the literally, "going (aliyah, aliyah" is
"rescue and Nehemiah"-as
a 112
Common?
in
Have
Palestinians
the and Jews Arab the What.Do
harassed Jews yearn- saved
immigration) that
denote
Israeli
to
term
suppression
ethnic
enduring
after homeland
to ancient
their
to return
:rimination.9
through
the
discerned
be
also
historiographical
bias
can
Zionist
the
ratnifications
to
with its theory. I
start
exchange population
government
Israeli
was
the
r948-5•,
In
reparation issue.
and
•tion
and
United Nations
the of
demand
the
claims:
intersecting
with
two
the
compensate
Israel
that
Britain and
United States the of
governments
Custodian Israel's
impounded by
property for
refugees
Palestinian
that
expectation
Jews'
Iraqi
former
the and
Property,
Absentee of
government in
frozen
Iraqi
the
by
they
property
their compensated for
be
show
archival
to
sources
draw shall
2ooo).
I
t9•1 on Shenhav
also
•999,
(see
double-
akin
to system
into dilemma
this
turned
a government
Israeli
the :hat
r948
the of
that
property-- of
regard the sets
two
with
to
bookkeeping
el•try
neutralized the
thereby
_2
and
Jews Iraqi
the of that and
refugees
Palestinian
Iraqi
the
that
injustice
the cited
Israel
of
government
The both.
of
claims
compensate
refusal
explain to
its
Iraq of
to Jews the ddne had
government
Iraqi
that apply
Israel
same to
to Jews in
Iraqi the told
but Palestinians the
•
restitution. for
government
it circumstances;
exploiting
propounded
by
logic accounting
was
This
raison
treated
when
a as
However,
scheme.
deliberate
necessarily
not
a
itself"legitimately" of
was
re- absolve
government to Israeli
enabled the
d'4tat, it
Israel's
ees-l° Moreover, refug
Palestinian
the
compensating
sponsibility for
drive
relentless
the
Jews Iraq's in
of
and property identity
the
of
appropriation
which
With
to policy bargaining
served
nationalism
Jewish
a as
articulate
to
Iraq,
of
Jews
The as
of right
return. the regarding
claims
Palestinian
deny
from
decision-making
process
in instrument
a became
shows,
chapter
an this
did
they not
assumptions
and
basic
rested
that
excluded,
on
they which
were
background.
historical
First, 1• necessarily share. some
Jews
Iraqi of
Immigration Background the for Historical
chapter
described
this
in
drama
the
when
period
from to
1951
1949 the
In of
percent
constituting
Iraq, 3 lived
in Jews
about
played
13o,ooo out--
followed
Baghdad,
was
in community
largest
was
The
population.
country's
the
of
percent
for accounted
75
some
cities
together these
two
Basra;
of that
by
Ottomans the of
supplanting
m
earlier, the
decades
Iraq.•Z
Three
Jews in the
had
I
World
War engen-
after
British
the
and
French
by
the Middle
East
the
Iraqi
potent
First, ha- region.
the a in developments
significant dered two
Common? Palestinians Have in the and Jews Arab the What Do
had British
the realized
that not Iraqis when the
tionalism as come
up sprang
occupation
the against
uprising
Iraqi result immediate The
liberators.
was an
the
when Until
independence qualified
gained in Iraq 1941• re- 193z. in
192o.
powerful
of the
under Iraq
failed,
al-Kilani Ali Rashid of volt
na- sway
a was
order
Germany
in with forging to Nazi balk ties did that tionalism at not
be- Middle East the activity Second, in Zionist influence. British
off throw
until
Iraq begin
did in although activity
not intensive extensive,
more came
Zionist social forces
these between
The
interaction two World II. na- War
of question nationalism--particularly the
Arab and Iraqi
tionalism
over
beyond transformed finally it and Iraq's Jews shaped of the life Palestine
discussion). 1989 for Kedourie (see recognition
British
before
and just Rashid Ali flight of following the
June
In
1941,
by Iraqi
brutally attacked
Baghdad,
city's Jews the
reentered forces na- were
mostly
people,
farhud,
left the
assault,
known The tionalists. 250
some
as
did es-Said's government
not injured. Nuri Minister Prime dead
Jews,
or
and officers
them assailants, eight responsibility: the of po- shirk
army among
Zionist.
attack,
the Following the
death.
condemned licemen,
to
1941
were
perhaps
and Iraq's Jews
"Zionize"
contemplating began leadership to
means
Va'ad The Israel. •3 community the of of immigration to
part the organize
Palestine Jewish community in Council) the (National of
pre-state
Leumi
describing farhud, acedunt
the of e'xaggerated distorted and
disseminated
an
that Jewish leaders
of 5)- The Chapter as
(see assessment
was
it massacre a
Iraq's feelings
intensify farhud Zionist would be
of the
among the impact to
community bring exploited the to should be the to that Jews and momentum
president, the said time: second Israel's at Ben-Zvi,
later Yitzhak Palestine.
should be experienced of Iraq by Jews the
being agitation of "The
ex-
sense
productive work in for people
them
and train
ploited the transfer
to
young
of Jews the vanguard all for
pioneering
the they
will where Palestine,
serve as
the leader of the
Ben-Gurion,
David
with meeting [Iraqi. Babylon In ''•4
a
deny the did es-Said
July Nuri not Palestine, Jewish in community in 1941,
troubles
of the the
claimed that he However, root the of severity was riots.
Jewish
would im- accept he added that and Palestine" problem not of
"the
1989). (Tsimhoni
solution
Palestine
migration
to a
as
They
Iraq farhud) arrived in (after in the emissaries
194z. The first Zionist
Hashura and
(Pioneer) Halutz movement the organize immediately began
to
described in Jewish
defense. As for organization Column),
(The
an
collaboration
owed
Iraq its
activity to in Zionist Chapters and
success
2,
(Shiblak 1986).
there general British the and British
the in
with to presence
and
Army British of operated the soldiers
emissaries The first Zionist as as 114
Palestinians the Arab and the Jews Common? What Have Do in
representatives by owned the Boneh, Solel the of construction company
public Federation
Iraq. and Labor, tenders General which had of Iran in
won
interest Although Iraqi Jewry immediate the Zionist movement's in
was
triggered well, by farhud, which the had other it
not
were neces- causes as
well-being sarily
Iraq
community. related the of the important sta-
to
was an
refugees Jewish had Europe who of the overland transfer from tion in eastern
Palestine,
essential border. them reached the Soviet-Iranian To it get
to
was
Iran
through along Iraq and
that have assistance permanent route to
a ran
(Yosef r973). Europe
maintained that The it Meir Zionist in movement
was
leadership Jewish Iraq. the essential establish When Zionist in to center
a
grasped taking
Holocaust,
the scale the second for of in interest
an a reason
improve demographic Jewish presented balance Iraqi Jewry itself: the in to
Chapter (see 1). Iraq the of Jews, Jews Palestine Like the other Arab
were con-
demographic key population help bal- sidered reservoir that could tilt the
a
July Central
of the Palestine Jews' meeting the favor. At in
in in
1943 ance a
Jewish (and of the Mapai, forerunner Committee of the dominant party
regard
speaker Party), Labor
define role with this "We it put
way: our one can
these
Diaspora
Jewry this of Zionist communi- in conquest to sentence:
one
Israel liquidate Land of order them and transfer them the We ties in to to
following campaign the do how will Europe Jews know remain in
not
many
geographical ]being waged by Nazis] them." The against of annihilation the
exploitable
advan- between Iraq and Palestine considered proximity
an was
there.., [for reach them, us] "It and for it is easier is easier get too, tage: to to
the Land
o• Israel.
leadership believed Representatives of the Labor the Zionist in movement
Iraq infiltrate and establish united Zionist it urgent movement to
was a
by the there--not least
the Revisionist preempt attempts movement to
or
(Tsimhoni Iraq's Jews Iraqi Party gain Communist foothold
to
among a
1989). Iraq
The Halutz who the Zionist in activists movement
set up were
under the control of who ruthless their efforts emissaries in not to oust were
Jewish
Labor that the local
there Zionist Note movement movement.
was no
build.
The
Iraq could
foundation which the •6 emissaries in
to
serve as a on
"awakening" consider Iraq and
did Jews of experience did Zionist not not
a
(Elath) early Epstein Eliahu of the Palestine option. As attractive
as.1941,
an
Jewish Agency's Iraqi Jews Department Political with of affluent
met group
a
persuade
settle who had fled unable them However, Tehran. he to to
to
was
bluntly capital told him their Palestine and there. of them Some invest in
they they They explained
(ibid.). that had did that believe Zionism in not
no
displacing Palestine, that Palestine the Arabs of migration of and intention to
Common?
in Have
Palestinians the and Jews Arab the Do What
like
In
there.
relatives
had
indigent
who Jews
only for or
feasible
were
was
community in Jewish
the with
emissaries
of Zionist meeting
first the fashion,
the
from
Jews separated Iraq's
gulf that
the
wide
how showed
was
Iraq in
194z
who,
Brenner,
Givat Kibbutz
as from Sereni,
political Enzo Zionism.
of idea
of
guise
the
Iraq
arrived
in in
chapters, a
previous the recalled
from'
be
may
the organize
real mission to
whose but worker, was
construction
Boneh Solel
han-
that (the l'Aliyah unit
Bet
Mossad
by the
emissaries sent the of
activity
"they do
t.hat Iraq's Jews
of said Palestine),
immigration
Jewish illegal to dled
-"17
Zionist
•nstmcr.
have
Zionists
like think
a
even
or not
Eshel, who
(Shiel)
Aryeh
by
conveyed
was
spirit
the
in A report
was
same
Zionists... they
that
tol
worker: I Boneh
Solel
are
Iraq
was
also
sent
to
a as
Zionism
neither
yearn- all
this [But]
is aliyah
nor
make
ready
and
to
are
dreadful
is]
lit aliyah
for
readiness Israel of
Land
the
for
ing nor
Quaker emissaries
in Even two ,,18
height of 195o, Levantlsm.
the hypocrisy,
consider present-
do
spoke
not Jews
reported "the
to
that
Iraq visited
we who
understood that
We prophecy
biblical
the of realization
the Israel
day
political
Jewish
37). The
1997:
(Esther
Meir
Zionism"
believe in
they do
not
between disparity
the of
cognizant
also
Iraq representatives
in
Agency
were
internal
meet-
In Jews. local
the of life
of
the and ideology socialist
the way
"unproductive"
the voiced
at
disappointment
Jewish Agency, was of the
ings
the with
contrasted
Palestine,
settled
had
in who Jews
Iraqi as 9f
the
character
(Tsimhoni
useful and
productive
considered •6men,
who of Jews were
1989).
local
the
toward
sympathy
strong there
Jews Iraq's Among a was
people
community's
mem-
the of were young and Party,
Gommunist many
part the
(AZL).
most For
con- League
Anti-Zionist
the
of the
of
party bers
or
affilia-
damage understood the
Iraq of Jews the families,
well-to-do
of
sisting
political
and status; Wreak social, economic,
their
could
with
Zionism on
tion
identity.
Zionist and
identity Jewish
their
between {hey a
distinction
drew
a
America,
North and
Europe mainly
settled in Iraq did leave
who
Jews
Those
Halutz
the
of emissaries by the faced move-
difficulty
Another Palestine.
not
cooperate, Jews local the of to
was reluctance
the
addition Iraq, to
in in
ment
example,
for
In base.
home their
from 195 ° little received assistance
they
that
the
that Porat,
Mordechai govern- Ben
emissary., key
by Zionist
request
a a
1991).
Since
(Tsimhoni rejected
flights Iraq
from
illegal
organize was
ment
with
worked
been out had plan of
action
authoritative comprehensive,
no
operated
often
local activists the
and emissaries
the government, Israeli the
guidelines.
precise without
initiative,
their
own
on
land--the
native their
in to so- remain Jews Iraq's for
unfeasible
It was 116
Common? Palestinians and the Jews Have Arab What in the Do
interrelated
One 1991) for (Kazzaz Iraqi
called orientation two
rea- reasons.
i•!•
1986 (Shiblak ). The
nationalism situation Iraqi and Arab surging
-•son
was
was
of the
•aggravated es-Smd by government Nun Mlmster co-optmn Prime to
s
• informed Istiqlal. Foreign Ministry Iraqi The nationalist right-wing the party
i.lii<
"State Iraq Washington of
that the government Department •the in con'
was
by and being Zionism made Communism inroads the eerned about among
compelled
leave the Jews the that 7o). (ibid.:
other The Jews to
were reason
local caused Iraq, which
Halutz of the in
activity the movement
many
was
estab- The perceived
fifth columnists.
hence and
Jews Zionists be
to
as as
nationalists, 1948 Iraqi for
boost
May of Israel of the lishment in
state
was a
outlawed irrevocably
which Zionism, with in identified and Jews
was
were
dismissed,
and the
entire civil 1948. July the Jews service Iraq in in
were
of the placed The Zionist surveillance. under Jewish actions community
was
justify
retroactively seemed reality forged that its
Iraq thus to in
movement
a
Jewish Agency Yisraeli, of the in emissary
there. As Ben-Tzion
an presence
the
[the Jews] be "They liable
Iraqi Iraq, had foreseen to
in among 1943,
are
of Israel the Land
enterprise ''•9 for price the in first
to
pay our
es-Said
January assumed Nuri Shortly in after his government
1949,
power
British the Israel. deporting Hbwever, Jews the Iraqi toyed the idea of with to
might have unantici- that this warned him serious Palestine ambassador in
explained; the would welcome Israel, ambassador pated the repercussions.
Arab the Jewish demand that cheap and would labor in arrival of states return
the February (Tsimhoni ). refugees In Palestinian assimilate
1949, 1991
Baghdad, Henry ambassador Sir the British instructed in Office Foreign
grounds that expelling Jews, the it
against es-Said Mack, Nuri caution
to
on
1986 (Shiblak ). Arab adversely of the the position affect would states
valid for law-- denaturalization Iraq enacted March
In year-- 195o, one
a
citizenship. their renouncing after the leave Jews enabled the that country to
brought
Iraq the
Israel
from Jews in told, than
All
to
pe-
lOO,OOO were more
of 60,000 by
of them Some June all May and z° riod air. between
1951, 195o
be- operation, months of the brought last three
Israel the
in them to
were
had been only after their but im- and June March property
tween 1951,
uprooted
community pounded
Thus by Iraqi entire the government.
was an
fate
decide right right-- individuals within its of and the it- and its to
own
deprived of
appropriated 1995). (Swirski community the its Moreover,
was
and what right decide where live rights nation and of the to to economic to
acutely, perhaps, of
community the
of.
be More
part
appro- was memory a a
the transplanted priated narrative- different Zionist and narrative- into
a
Chapter 5). (see little creating share 21 Iraqi had had Jews which the in 117
should
thinking; it
Zionist alien
The
noted, to not
be
idea,
it transfer
was
Jews Iraqi
the
after and
before
ideology
and
praxis
both manifested in
was
Israeh,,govemment d
the that s- stud
s
be
Thus, it Israel.
•s
brought
can to
were
constructive
of
by
motivated am- strategy
offers
transfer the a regard
was
agreeing officially
to
believed that
it since position kept biguity. its vague, It
Iraq bring presented of
Jews the
despite opportunity to the
transfer it to a
government's precedent. esti- the
"dangerous" In 36 would Israel-
create a
Jews refugees
there
Palestinian
three there times
mate, were as many as were
(the
Jews
thought than
be
there Arab the
to in
states: 2oo,ooo
no
more
were
arisen).•7 The had Maghreb Israel Jews possibility bringing yet the of not
to
exchange
population
by agreeing
feared that
Israeli
government to nu- on
a a
Indeed,
refugees." "surplus might repatriate the have basis, Israel merical to
the called for United the of plan Nations set- under auspices the the Morton
internationalized
refugees
"surplus" such thousands of in of tlement
an
Egypt
that information with the possibility, combined Jerusalem. This 38 was
The
Israeli refugees, deterred the government. PaleStinian refusing take in
to
agreed absorb only Iraq if that to maintained Foreign Ministry to 3oo,ooo
Israel
could Jews Iraqi
for the refugees Palestinian in return con-
4oo,000
possibility
that However, template transfer 39 the accepting agreement.
was
"surplus" of
with having Fearful of far-fetched. deemed 4° to
cope a
preferred forgo
agreement refugees, Israeli the government Palestinian
to
an
Iraq because threatened themselves found in departure who Jews of the for
underground,
establish- Israel's 1948 the of the Zionist of activity the
war,
by
time, the nationalism. At
and Arab Iraqi of and the
rise spurn- ment, same
abandoned economically. Palestinians' gained The transfer, Israel the ing
Iraq's General, while remaine•d
Custodian the hands of the state's in property
•
justify
successful
Jewish invoked could be of freeze
property to
excuse as a
Jews, if Iraqi the of The of Palestinian confiscation property the assets.
remained exchange would have brought for Palestinian Israel in property, to
taken
have been and would individual of possession the
its not in
over owners
capital." "national by the government
as
only
exchange
population faded
possibility of in the agitation The
a over
Iraq,
law
the denaturalization of in with the March enactment
en-
195o,
abling the citizenship. for their Pressure Iraq renouncing after leave Jews to
gradu-
al-Suwaidi, Tawfiq
by
exerted Minister Prime law's
enactment a
was
Jewish
schools. network French-Jewish of His Alliance of the ate many
the Shemtob, and Yeskail ofthe community, included the leader friends
instrumental also who Porat, in Mordechai get- Ben Zionistemissary
were
nationality, those
passed. Iraqi their giving addition law the In ting to
up
law The right
Iraq again. waived the the law left under who to return to ever
nothing
about said property. •l force for
it
remain in
to
year;
one was
for
register Jews itself did induce of the law the However, to
not em
passage
population Jewish the what motivated Indeed, the of question igration. to
April
8,
that
unresolved. do know We leave •2 remains
195o, a on masse en
Baghdad, Jewish and that exploded fragmentation grenade card in
in
a near
candidates huge number of
the incident,
of the wake that there rise in
was a
until June
the for about Over emigration, from
next to
23,ooo. year so, •5o
or
with explosions Jews. The associated occurred four similar sites at pro-
1951
by Iraqi thrown
bombs nation- holds that the of Zionist version events
were
finds 1997). direct
(see, different alists Esther A Meir
account
con- a e.g.,
Baghdad registration of bombings and the between the five in neetion rate
According by this June from March Jews leave the to country to
to 1951. •95o
made possibility
that the emissaries rule the Zionist view,
cannot out
use
we
(Shiblak prod register frighten them and Jews the incidents of hesitant
to to
bombings
possibility that the 1986 reasonable ). third finds A
version
were a
leadership
underground, the by unbeknownst local the Zionist initiative
to
a
by
unsupported (which doe- According of this is Israel. in account events to
bring wanted local and umentation), the the activists emissaries to pressure
delaying removal
of the the
which
bear the Israeli government, to
was
on
from Jews of immigration• Iraq priorities of given Jews from because to
that would evidence
have clear date
do and Poland. Romania To not sup- we
of these versions. port any
d'l•tat and Property, Raison Palestinian Jewish Property,
opportunity the had given been
to Iraq's Jews
after
March By
year 1951,
a
had only though
registered emigrate,
had Jews leave, about 35,ooo
to
lo5,ooo
On citizenship, waiting. their renounced having actually The left. rest, were
impound
and bill submitted
es-Said
Nuri to Minister March Prime a
lo,
prevent To Middle 4s the East. richest the Jews, the in of the freeze property
into.
bill's period the between enactment the being carried in transactions out
country's
the down shut Ministry the implementation, Finance and law
its
legislation
the
that
police moved
days and the for three to banks was
ensure
and other
sealed, items vehicles by Jews owned
Stores carried
were out.
were
(Gat searched
jewelers and merchants of confiscated, homes and the were
1995).
1989;
Rejwan
Israeli gods
the gift the
from
Jewish to freezing The law
assets
came as a
declaration formal
make need by the of
relieved
which it to
government,
a
was
henceforth
entailed;
it this exchange, all that with
population
for of support
a
property•,and;,,: people
exchange
of
such possible refer be would as a to to any
and
th4 law its im-
cabinet the briefed Sharer
spontaneous on
occurrence.
Approaches
do.
what to that is arises "The question plications:
can we
took
they could
You
but.., possible,
of England and
France say:
course,
are
custodian; entrusted and it Palestine
who left to
Arabs of the the property a
government's
develop
the
continued
Sharer doing the they ''49
to ap-
same.
are
inde- still
regarding Palestinian the property implication proach, the but
was
Baghdad
ffemendous the within excitement "There inchoate: and is
cisive
today. them delegation from
probably
shall Israel]. receive [in I community
a
Arabs the of all
the confiscate property
that undoubtedly advise wil! They
we
the that Arabs is in of people the the
these
give property Israel,
and that in
we
the
understand
explain
have do of the I to possession to not you state. you
this viewed
Ben-(3urion Sharett
Neither problem
to." gives this
rise re-
as a
nor
formulated:
logic bookkeeping
double-entry place
option. alistic In its was a
this all
6ur that
possibility:
declaration part
another
"There
is
on
a SHARETT:
settlement,
final
compensation of
in the payment in taken will be into account
a
Of principle
the abandoned
being have
the if for that
not time
Let
etc. we
say
us
this
value of the
deduct shall that declare
compensation,
of payment we we property."
apprised Sharer March
the On the of Knesset government's reaction
19,
to
by parliament Iraqi the decision Jewish the freeze his In to
property. state-
officially unequivocally
Sharer and fused
the ment, into two
sin- accounts
a
gle already proposed
he had equation, cabinet: the to as
plunder episode The of Israel... this of views the
government spirit in the of law
malicious
dispossession the
of the
regime of continuation that always has
as
pre-
helpless vailed Iraq defenseless and freezing vis-a-vis in By minorities the
of thousands Jews who of of
immigrating today Israel sets tens stateless but to
are
immediately
of Israel immigration-the citizens their Iraq of government upon
opened has
between and the of already it Israel. We account government have
an
world, namely, with the Arab
the the of
account compensation that account
an
ac-
the Arabs who left the of Israel and abandoned territo their
to
property D,
crues
kingdom by
The committed
Iraq... the of forces
link act
the
to two now
us
ac-
shall the take value Jewish We file of into counts that account has property
Iraq been frozen
the with compensation have in respect
undertaken to
to we pay
the Arabs who s° abandoned Israel. in property
With this decision--which fell the turned in private
capital of
swoop one
capital" Iraq's Jews "national
the Israeli into nullified
government
pos- any
independent sible alternative for their Foreign compensation. The Ministry 5•
Commission Palestine informed the Conciliation that the Israeli
government
contributing
committed resolution
refugee the of problem, to
to but was a
added:
unable honor will be that "It if addition commitment in to
other its
to
absorb having immigrants, finds commitments
itself it undertake to to
new
of the rehabilitation Iraqi" Jews. loo,ooo
concluded, Iraqi Jews
As
the lmmlgratlon Israeli ot soon me as
was
gow
turned back its the ernment arrivals.
Foreign The Ministry
objected
on
new to
the t establishment
special
of
ministry their deriving register claims from to a
their frozen
Sharett property. maintained that his the Knesset in statement
had
commitment,
been
not Iraqi the Jews. What to compensate he a
explained, he
that meant, the
value the of Jewish
that frozen property was
was
Iraq
will
be • taken in compensa{.i• into when the
discuss time
account
to
comes
That has, tion.
time knowing there yet
when not is
will
it come,
no
come,
i
the
will entire be
worked due matter
(Gat in course"
8 out
9 9. 37. 1
Population Exchange and "Right the Palestinian of Return"
go•;•J
The Jews Iraq hostages of became
fig of-- and leaf for-- the Israeli
a
the] efforts in divest its itself responsibility of ernment
for to compensating
leader;ij Palestinian refugees. The conceptual model guided that the
Zionist
ship
the Jews vis-a-vis Iraq,
of
with
other Jewis•i communities, held that as
leadershi•
identity identity and Zionist
and the
The
national
were one
same.
assumed monopoly
the
community neii though and
its property, a over
even
ther
the
the other
working: located
domain. territorial its in The one nor was
Common? Have in Palestinians the and Jews Arab the What Do
by the
received
reparations the of the
discernible
model in is of the
case
same
zooo). (Barkan
World II War after Germany from Israel of government
national.
Palestinians'
the that
equation trade-off
the of condition
A
was
Arab
"united
regarded of
part they
be
that annulled, and
na- identity
be a as
il-
forged pungent of the
approach most
That included
Iraq.
that tion" one
Palestinian
("There
history is
brief by peo- Israel harbored in its no lusions
trade-off
say). The
69 used
Golda Meir to Minister Israeli ple," Prime
as
Palestinian and
Jews Arab of the constructed cynically interests as equation
priori. conflicting
a
plun-
and abandoned
property Palestinian much 1948
the During
was
war,
of value
of the
Estimates Palestine. Mandate British of territory
the dered
in
Arab General
Custodian by managed the vary.
property Palestinian the
held
in
meeting cabinet
$z. billion.
In 7°
secret about
it put at a 5
sources
Conciliation
Palestine U.N.'s the disclosed that
Sharer
November
1951,
the
of abandoned property of the worth appraised the
had
Commission
government The $1 approximately billion. 71
refugees
Palestinian 6oo,ooo at
Jews
the
that
refugees.
argument 1948 Its the compensate Israel was did of
not
Israeli
the
time, the same refugees. Yet
also
at
Arab countries the from
were
from and restitution reparations
for claims
drawing
its
government
up
was
linkage that chapter,
the throughout the argued 1993).
As
(Zweig
Germany
used
Jews Arab
the 1948 and refugees
of Arab
the was created between
was
right for of
the clai•n
return.
Palestinian block also
to any
Palestine fled expelled
from
Approximately Palestinians or
were
7oo,ooo
of
the
this
outcome what
determined
extent 1948.72 be a
to
yet It is was in to
includ-
factors, other
of
combination
expulsion
systematic planned
and
or a
1986b,
1986a, (Morris commanders
Jewish local of assaults uncoordinated ing
de- the resulted
in the that uncontested,
however,
1999). It is 1987; Pappe war
prob-
refugee huge villages and
approximately
Palestinian of a struction
4oo
whom people, of
73 million
most
than today
which lem,
to 4
amounts
more
and Gaza
Bank
and the West Egypt, Syria,
Jordan,
Lebanon, scattered in
are
struggle the
national in Palestinian
the of
consolidation
With the (Said 2ool).
symbol
living
refugees became displaced
Palestinian
the decades, three
a past
quin-
"right return"
its of
and the al-Nakba,
catastrophe known 1948 of the as
finally
by
notorious
the process "The emblem. in peace issue tessential
now
Palestinian the of
the
been which has
at
issue,
down core has
to
one
come
1948, displaced
in depredations who refugees
the
of fate 1948: the since were
Edward
cleansing,"
ethnic Israeli by naked 198z again 1967 and as in again in
1). (zoo1: 74
Said
it put
the which
1948,"
of in
"question forget the the denounced attempt Said to 133
Common? Have in Palestinians and the Arab Jews the What Do
share
neither
that
"That
sentiment salient:
is right of
is
most can return
a
by
the issued
(ibid.). Likewise,
easily forgive"
add, statement
hasten I
to
a
nor,
anticipating Bank the West Refugee Camps
of in the Popular Organizations
should unequivocally negotiators the that stated David meeting Camp
the
"We right
of brought
the they back
unless return. bother are return to not
We and
await olive
Our Palestine. home home- trees going oranges us.
to
agreements"
the who signs anything less next..,
will matter accept not
no
September 20).
Within, from (News
zooo,
"right refugees'
which the
the
Naturally, determine
to extent
one can no
Some them.
given opportunity the realized if would be of return" were
symbolic than
of much
the claim that is scholars Palestinian
re- more argue
the completely what
clear also term Furthermore, is value. alistic it 75
not
back entitled
refugees
to that "right
to
go Does it of return"
are
mean
means.
the
Does there lives it who now? of irrespective places origin, of their mean
apply
Does historical it Palestine?
to within building Palestinian cities of
new
refugees? One all
generation people
of the first of
number to limited way or
a
away with- refugees be
swept Palestinian the of another, the cannot
issue
or
solution. speak
of serious
discussion,
not to out
a
open
an
deadly threat considered "right
of return" is the however, Jews, Israeli
To
a
political
position
of their Irrespective Jewish
Israel's state. existence
to
as a
right of "the Israelis Left,
Right
whether fold, treat
the within Zionist re-
or
b,!ack
the unwilling consider
package,
and sealed-off
to box,
turn"
are a as a
negotiated,
and interpreted, lh discussed,
might be which
it per-
ways many
negotiation
Barak's clearly strategy Ehud manifested
in haps solved.
This
was
conduct
underlings refused
and July his he where to David Camp in
in
2ooo,
refugees]
of 6 repatriation
the about
discussions
serious return
or
any
regarding the
dialogue
political Jewish refusal in
However, to
engage
•eparated
three
roughly can into be cat- and uniform "right
return" of is not
but mutually exclusive
exhaustive neither
categories
These egories. nor
are
the today. there main- First,
is Israel used
strategies
in discursive capture most
problem.
refugee responsibility the for
Israeli
denies that
stream any
response
insofar it example this ample of
at- historiography gives
Zionist as response,
orders
Jewish but
atrocities
exodus to
Palestinians' tributes the
not to os-
mass
homes
flee their calling Palestinians the by leaders tensibly Arab to issued
on
i!
Second, discussion). 1987 for 1986a extensive and
villages (see Morris and
partial
acknowledge Israel's
Left) who
(mainly the Zionist those there
on
are
•i
problem the reject but refugee responsibility the
political for moral and
i•
Israel's end
existence
will that arguing "right return," put
to it of as a
an
ii
responsibility and
Israel's off brush who those Third, there
Jewish state. are 134
Palestinians Common? and the Jews Have Arab in the What Do
that there de suggesting exchange" "population argument, irlvoke the
was a
refugees "fled" Palestine Palestinian the which transfer, population facto in
Arab "fled" countries. 77 •nd Jews
"right
solution the ofre-
offer this discussion is to My not to in intention a
with this third discursive associated fallacies the seek rather txlrn."
to
expose
theory exchange" remained dor- "population shown, the have As strategy.
Organization
Liberation Palestinian the when mid
until the
mant was 197os,
political
the dis- conjured again used and in then established.
It
up
was
practical Forei.gn the Israeli
WOJAC. all
mainly by For 78
purposes, course,
practices
"population regarding
discursive contracted Ministry its out
ex-
chapter, WOJAC
show the
I However, WOJAC. in Change"
next never to as
and the usefulness about the conclusion sound
reach succeeded astute-
to
a
Such
claim fearful that Ministry Foreign Israeli
theory. The
the of was l•ess
intensify of provoke their talk Palestinians return, the would to encourage
and
Arab countries, former in their against individual claims turn file Jews
to
of Israel. the individual against claims refugees file state lead Palestinian to
defi- theory, necessitated the exchange which population the Furthermore,
history Zio._oist official and
the refugees,
Jews Arab of counter to
nition
ran as
;Israeli
result, Foreign the
changes As required considerable in its
epos.
a
redraw the
and tried
halt all WOJAC activities called to
Ministry to
on
together analyses The organization. and that itself put between boundaries
popula- disruptions that the contradictions, and l!ighlight inconsistency, the
during Camp generated resurfaced the before exchange it initiative tion
July David meeting in zooo.