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Opinion November thirty: historical memory, lesson for the future | Israel today

2022-11-30T17:58:01.693Z


Jewish communities in the East aspired to serve their countries, but the rulers of Arabia abandoned their citizens to mass riots and violent riots.


These were extremely significant historical events for Jewish communities in the East.

An injustice that had no justification.

In preparation for the decision to establish a Jewish state in 1947, in a process that began in the thirties, a wave of persecution and anti-Jewish incitement broke out against the Israeli communities in the East.

This violent outbreak, which began before the establishment of the State of Israel and continued in the fifties and sixties, was not a one-off event.

Towards November 29, alongside the well-known decision to go to war and prevent the establishment of the Jewish state, the National Committee of the Arab League also dealt with the citizens of their countries: approximately one million Jews who lived in Arab countries. The League approved a series of anti-Jewish decisions: political imprisonment, nationalization of property, freezing of bank accounts And later even a demand to pay the results of the war of liberation.

It is appropriate to insist on the league's policy.

In the face of the military attempt that failed to destroy the birth of Israel, the rulers of Arabia actually abandoned their citizens to the mob as manifested in violent riots against defenseless Jews.

In the diplomatic arena, Arab representatives did not hide their malicious policy towards their Jewish citizens and openly threatened that if a Jewish state were to be established, this would harm Eastern Jewry.

The decisions of the League stated that unarmed Jewish citizens are a legitimate target for harm in the atmosphere that is emerging in preparation for the campaign for Palestine.

To this must be added the incitement of Amin al-Husseini, the former mufti of Jerusalem, back in the thirties, to the Nazi influence and the religious incitement of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.

A roused mob implemented the policy statements of its leaders.

It was Jamal al-Husseini of the Supreme Arab Committee who said in 1947: "States are unable to prevent mob riots."

Following this, Dr. Mohammed Hussein Haichel, the chairman of the Egyptian delegation to the UN, claimed that "no one will be able to prevent the disturbances and they will break out and spread in all Arab countries".

No necessary separation was made between the national-military struggle against Zionism and the protection and respect of the minorities that contributed to the advancement of the Arab nation states.

Indeed, like Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli in Great Britain, artillery officer Dreyfus in France, Otto Frank who fought for Germany in World War I - so do Jews in the Eastern communities.

"The Jews are in grave danger" 

Figures like Yehezkel Sassoon in Iraq and Haim Effendi in Egypt did not strive against the existence of their country, but aspired to serve it.

The official government institutions in the Arab countries did not provide full protection to their citizens, but initiated and encouraged it.

For example, King Farouk in Egypt.

Farouk promised the leaders of the Jewish community that he would protect them, but even he could not prevent the incitement of the mob by the Muslim Brotherhood.

And disturbances did occur, when they were directed towards Jews regardless of who they are: Zionists and non-Zionists.

Riots in Cairo (1945), Riots in Tripoli (1945), Riots among the Jews of Eden (1947), destruction of buildings in Aleppo in Syria and even earlier the "Farohud" in Iraq which was under Nazi influence (1941).

Even the "Pearl of the Gulf" in Bahrain was not spared by this violent wave.

Journalists from the West who were present in the region, such as the New York Times, testified about the sad situation by saying: "The Jews in Asia and Africa are in grave danger in all the Islamic countries in the face of the wrath of their enemies."

"Under Nazi influence".

Farhud riots in Baghdad in 1941,

The extent of the disturbances indicates that this was a deliberate policy.

Not a spontaneous and one-off event in one country.

This is a comprehensive event inspired by decisions from institutions of the Arab League.

This policy did not stop after the war of liberation.

Starting in the 1950s and especially in light of the dismal results of the Arab world in the Six Day War, rulers like Nasser in Egypt and Gaddafi in Libya erased any remaining Jewish identity in their country.

It seems that the pattern of action has returned: a military failure against the IDF is accompanied by an outpouring of anger and persecution towards Israeli communities, no matter how loyal they may be.

Abraham's agreements - a reason for cautious optimism

These events have, first and foremost, historical significance.

These events are a milestone in Israel's history that must be dealt with alongside other events.

Second, the grandfathers' events are a Zionist message to their grandchildren: there is no substitute for the Jewish, democratic and sovereign state of Israel.

Life in this historical estate is better than being a tolerable and persecuted minority in the MAZ countries.

Loyal as they were, the Israeli communities in Arab countries were persecuted in an institutionalized and comprehensive manner even after 1948. There is no institutional guarantee that can guarantee complete security for the Jewish minority in Arab countries.

The demographic map is a clear testimony to this statement: the Jews of the Arab countries, despite the difficulties, went to their historical homeland, and the settlements in the East were emptied of any Jewish presence.

It seems that the Israeli homeland is preferable to hardship, than any Middle Eastern tyranny with its advantages.

The signing of the Abraham Accords at the White House, photo: Reuters

The events are also a message to other peoples in their understanding of the Middle Eastern reality: minorities in the Middle East, without political and military power, are persecuted in our space: the Christians in Lebanon, the Kurds in Iraq, and more. However faithful it may be, in the Middle East there is no moral reservation that will prevent harm to a weak minority.

And yet there is reason for optimism.

The cautious optimism is, therefore, in the form of Abraham's agreements.

These are anchored in the basis of security interests vis-à-vis Tehran and also reflect a positive view of the future: agreements between nations.

Jews and Arabs together, exchange opinions, promote projects, and respect different beliefs.

This time as equal human beings and not as proteges who are tolerated and humiliated.

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Source: israelhayom

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