Monday, December 1, 2014

Ilan Pappe's Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine



File:Pappe - The Ethnic Cleancing of Palestine.jpg
Image from Wikimedia Commons.
The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, by Ilan Pappe

This very intelligent, well researched, and moving history reveals the forgotten events surrounding the Palestinian Nakba or catastrophe of 1948.  Pappe's primary source of information was the Israeli Government's own archives which were released to the public in 1980.  The timeline covered begins with the first Zionist agricultural colony in Palestine in 1878 and continues through the various armistice agreements concluding in 1949.

Of particular note, the false Israeli narrative which claims that an attack by Arab armies is what caused the Nakba and resulted in the displacement of approximately 750,000 Palestinian people--as well as the destruction of their homes, villages and urban centers-- from what had become the United Nations designated Jewish area is soundly refuted. 

The Arab armies never invaded the UN designated Jewish area. The Arabs' presence, in and on the edges of the Palestinian designated area, was primarily to protect Palestinian villages and people.  (Pages 129 -130.)  It was the Jewish militias, such as Irgun and Hagana, that began the ethnic cleansing in 1931, if not earlier.  (Page 284.)  In fact, the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians by Jewish forces continued in the U.N. Jewish designated area during the war of 1948.  While the Arab forces were able to protect the designated Palestinian area, Jewish forces were completely undeterred in their efforts to remove Palestinians from what we now know as Israel.  (Pages 130 -131.)

This is a highly recommended read for everyone interested in gaining insight into the horrific events that lead up to the creation of Israel.  It also illustrates the importance The Right of Return has to Palestinians in negotiating a final and peaceful solution to the Palestinian - Israeli conflict. We begin to understand many details, for instance the University of Tel-Aviv is built on land that used to be the Palestinian village of Sheykh Muwannis. (Page 103.)   In embracing a true history, we must not erase the memory of the people that once called that piece of land their home.

The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine is available by request from book sellers and libraries everywhere.


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1 comment:

  1. "Ronnie Barkan: I am a white, male, privileged, Israeli Jew. The first two characteristics are decided by nature, the last are decided by the state. It is important to mention that I am from the privileged. This is the core we are talking about.

    "The State of Israel was founded on the basis of ethnic cleansing, ethnic separation and ethnic supremacy which was codified into law. What started in ‘48 carried on under the guise of the law, to take away the rights of the others."

    http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/adri-nieuwhof/israel-has-no-right-be-apartheid-state-says-boycott-within-founder

    Highlight and then right click the URL to open the article. Very much worth reading!

    ReplyDelete