
The Knesset has passed an initial reading of a proposal, stipulating that negotiations on Arab refugees must include demands for compensation of Jewish refugees from Arab countries.
Hundreds of thousands of Jews from Arab countries made Aliyah [immigration] to Israel in its early years, after being banished and forced to leave behind property and asset worth billions of dollars. A legislative proposal on the issue by Knesset Member Nissim Zev (Shas) passed its preliminary Knesset reading on Sunday.
The bill stipulates that in any negotiations with the Palestinian Authority on the rights of Arabs who left Israel in 1948, the government of Israel would be required to present its own demands for reparations for the Jews of Arab countries.
Is this why they're attempting an end-run around Israel, and instead applying for statehood at the U.N. sans ANY negotiation?
Much of the attention given to the Israel-Palestiner situation ignores half of the problem of the refugees-- the fact that the Arabs stole the Jews land--- andpossessions-- and so on. They should be compensated-- at the very least!
But is there really equality here? Would it be right to equate the Palestinian refugees from Israel with the Jews from Arab/Muslim lands? In most cases the land, possessions, accounts and businesses of the Jews in Arab lands were confiscated and the Jews were booted out of those countries. Some may have left on their own accord while not under such conditions and I suppose they would have sold what they owned first, but if they sold their lands and possessions under any duress or were forced to accept reduced compensation then that also must be considered. What about the Jews who were murdered leaving no relative behind entitled to compensation?
The question I first posed above is to consider whether Israel did in fact force the Muslims/Arabs from their homes at the time of partition or later, or was it simply because they did not want to live in a Jewish country, or were ordered to leave by their brethren, and left voluntarily?
There are many factors to take into consideration.
It is interesting that so many Jews remain in Morocco as compared with other Arab/Muslim countries. In that case the King of Morocco was in support of their remaining there.
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