Israel turned the Nakba into a 63-year process
Israel crowns itself as the winner in the global competition of victimhood; yet it manufactures methods of oppression and dispossession.
By Amira HassHow natural it is for Israeli spokesmen to assert that the Nakba Day marches from Syria and Lebanon were the product of incitement and foreign calculations. The state, which bases its existence on 2,000 years of longing for and belonging to this country, shows contempt toward palpable displays of belonging to and longing for the same country of those who we expelled 63 years ago - and of their descendants.
The memorial day for the Holocaust, and the memorial day for the Nakba, are behind us. So the time has come to write about them both. "Holocaust" and "Nakba" are mistaken definitions, because they do not distinguish between natural disasters and man-made catastrophes. But the definitions gained currency. So too did negative attitudes, such as the denial of the historical occurrence and its political implications. For example, that Jewish survivors became refugees in their own lands of birth, or that Palestinians in the diaspora and those who remained in the country share a close bond.
Another example would be the refusal to acknowledge the suffering endured by the other. Here it will be said "the Arabs started the war", and there it will be said "the Jews caused the Nakba - the expulsion of the Palestinian people from its homeland, whereas the Palestinians bear no responsibility for the Holocaust - the genocide of the Jewish people."
In a private, personal sense, the Holocaust did not become the "past;" for those who survived it, it continues until they die. Something of this ever-painful continuousness is dictating - to a greater or lesser degree - our own lives, as the offspring of the survivors.
In contrast, with regard to the Jewish collective that came into existence after 1945, the Holocaust has a beginning and an end. The Allies' victory before Germany had time to extinguish additional Jewish communities, the establishment of the State of Israel, Germany's acknowledgment of the murder industry it established - all such events marked the end of this chapter of history.
The same for individual Palestinians, their beloved one who were murdered by Jews or killed in battles, the painful uprooting from homes - never turned into sheer memory. But 1948 is just a first chapter in a series that hasn't ended yet. For those who haven't experienced expulsion and bereavement - Israel provided ample opportunities to share such fate.
How much skill has Israel displayed in the wrong-doing to refugees in Gaza? How many times a week do the "present absentees," refugees who live within the borders of the state, pass by lands which were given to Jews at the behest of the legislators' cunning? What are the statistics of chronic poverty and structural discrimination faced by the "Arab sector" in Israel, and by Palestinian Jerusalemites, if not a nakba by other means?
And what is the sickening similarity between the pressuring of Bedouin away from Negev lands today and the removal of 1948 refugee Bedouin in the Jordan Valley? How is it that after 1967 tens of thousands lost their right to live in the West Bank (including Jerusalem ) and the Gaza Strip? Israel did not overcome its instinct to expel, and is today focusing on the Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Every Jew in the world, whether a citizen of the U.S. or Morocco, has rights in this one country, from the river to the sea, that we denied to those who live in it today, and those who were born in it and grow old as refugees in Lebanon or Syria. And the Oslo process? Israel devised it as a stratagem to impose the solution of reservations.
Israel makes capital out of the six million to justify policies of destruction and expulsion not just in the past, but in the present and future. As the state which claims to be the heir of the Holocaust martyrs, Israel crowns itself as the winner in the global, historical competition of victimhood. Yet it manufactures methods of oppression and dispossession of the individual and the collective, methods which turn the Nakba into a continuing, 63-year process.
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The Palestinians had a BIG part in turning a disaster into endless suffering. Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon ALSO played a role.. The nations which turned refugee into a permanent status did much to perpetuate Palestinian suffering. The Palestinians who waged war with Israel during from 1947 on were major contributors. Israel became the primary miscreant only during the last 30 years after it chose to take by settlement the West Bank.
two thousand years of exile and the butchering of 6 million may have made it hard for us to take very seriously the suffering of others; however suffer they do; our history cannot justify our role in causing pain to others; we can look at the role played by the Arab nation; we are responsible only for our own; the haunting question for us, that has so many of us upset, is to what extent would our good will, our effort to compromise and be compassionate lead to our own demise.
Your demise is inseparable from the demise in respect toward fellow man. The defense of the rights of man to live in dignity will never amount to a demise.
We Jews/Israelis are acting in many ways (not all, but many) like the German Nazis with expulsions, destruction of whole communities, severe hatred for, humiliation and racism against a whole people, the Palestinians. My belief is that most, if not all of the Israeli governments since 1967 have planned to keep driving out, keeping out of Israel AND the occupied territories as many Palestinians as possible and "annexing" as much land as possible, while cynically and deceitfully professing a two-state solution. Shame on the state which carries out such policies after what was done to us, the Jewish people in the Holocaust!!
If anything the Holocaust and WW2 impeded the creation of Israel by prolonging the process and preventing even more Jews from emigrating to Israel. We do not need to guilt anyone to make a nation, the nation has been ours for millennium while it was occupied by foreign occupiers, like the Arabs that call themselves these days "Palestinian".
The zionist program began 50 years before the Holocaust. The League of Nations gave the British a mandate to create a Jewish homeland in Palestine in 1923. So the forerunner to the UN had already put things in motion. Its thanks to the British needing the arabs during the war that they agreed to limit Jewish immigration to Palestine during the war. The only thing the Holocaust did was kick start things and get the British out. If the British had not been so eager to please their arab allies during the war then maybe millions of Jews would have come here and survived,
Shutting Palestine to Jewish refugees in Europe contributed both to their deaths and pushing the Nazis into implementing the final solution. The pro-Nazi sympathies in the Arab world are well documented.
The arabs started the war and Israel won it. Yes we took advantage of the fact the arabs were gone and didn't let them back thats history not present. Other than the arabs and their supporters say your a refugee in your own right if your descended from a refugee. If we did I think that most the people on this planet would be refugees because most people are descended from refugees of one conflict or another. The individuals who left 63 years ago can call themselves refugees and demand a right of return but their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren cannot. My grandparents are refugees from Austria and they lost their home and everything else when they left but that does not make me a refugee with a right to return to their home. Nakba has nothing to do with creating a palestinian state and there are only 2 solutions to ending this conflict - ( 1 ) Israel grants a full right of return to the original refugees, their descendants and anybody else they decide has a right of return ( 2 ) The palestinians themselves wake up understand they can't turn back the clock and accept nobody is ever going to return to those idilic villages and the houses they have rusty keys to. ALL wars no matter where you go in the world create refugees, they always have and they always will, it doesn't make it right or wrong it just a reality of war. As for the Bedouin, they build villages illegally on state land then we pull it down and the Bedouin who live here also have to learn that in 1948 the Negev became state land and if the government wants to develop it for the benefit of all its people then the bedouin need to learn thats the way it is, they can't live in a romantic time warp where life never changes. The last paragraph in this article is disgusting and reads like something you would expect to find in palestinian propoganda.
The arabs started the war and Israel won it. Yes we took advantage of the fact the arabs were gone and didn't let them back thats history not present. Other than the arabs and their supporters say your a refugee in your own right if your descended from a refugee. If we did I think that most the people on this planet would be refugees because most people are descended from refugees of one conflict or another. The individuals who left 63 years ago can call themselves refugees and demand a right of return but their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren cannot. My grandparents are refugees from Austria and they lost their home and everything else when they left but that does not make me a refugee with a right to return to their home. Nakba has nothing to do with creating a palestinian state and there are only 2 solutions to ending this conflict - ( 1 ) Israel grants a full right of return to the original refugees, their descendants and anybody else they decide has a right of return ( 2 ) The palestinians themselves wake up understand they can't turn back the clock and accept nobody is ever going to return to those idilic villages and the houses they have rusty keys to. ALL wars no matter where you go in the world create refugees, they always have and they always will, it doesn't make it right or wrong it just a reality of war. As for the Bedouin, they build villages illegally on state land then we pull it down and the Bedouin who live here also have to learn that in 1948 the Negev became state land and if the government wants to develop it for the benefit of all its people then the bedouin need to learn thats the way it is, they can't live in a romantic time warp where life never changes. The last paragraph in this article is disgusting and reads like something you would expect to find in palestinian propoganda.
What is the difference between a Holocaust denier and a Nakba denier?
call it "problem".i date the problem before 1948,to 1917.in 1948 it became acute.in 1967 it became terminal.the problem came about as result of a solution for the jewish problem.the problem still exists.three theoretical solutions exist,but it is impossible to keep both west-bank and its gentiles.
As a 2nd gen. child of holocaust survivors, Hass is working out her own "healing" -- by foisting her unresolved issues (baggage) onto her readers. This includes issues such as: denial that her history impacts her judgment; 2nd-hand guilt that her family survived Hitler, at whose expense?; religiously fighting for the rights of the disenfranchised "other" perceived underdogs, exhibiting a profound "ishmaelite" hatred towards her "israelite" heritage. Hass' writings reveals behavior indicating personal unresolved baggage she is subconsciously foisting onto her readership audience.
It is to bad that Amira does not understand the Moslem feelings about having a Jewish State among them.
You clearly bemoan the creation of Israel through the 'legislators' cunning." One does not even have to read between the lines to understand that you would like nothing better than to see all the "refugees" come off the Jew-created "reservations," as you term the the Arab refugee camps, and redress past injustices caused by the Jews. Your worldview fits nicely into the Arab narrative of "from the river to the sea."
But you are barking up the wrong tree, missing the boat, being left in the dust, out in left field, completely in the dark...ah well, that should do it.
As I recall , Arabs ( they hadn't reinvented themselves as ' Palestinians' then) were told to leave by their leaders. They were told that when the rest of the Arab forces had exterminated all the Jews in the upcoming attack that they could return. Yes, they tried to 'kill' Israel in its infancy but failed and paid the price and have been paying every since as they try and try again and again.
have always been palestinians for tousands of years. They were dwelling in Palestine thousands of years before Abraham put a foot on it and you come and tell us that they have just invented their name to be palestinians. Respect people,s intelligence.
out or forced to leave their homes by HAGANA and STERN Gangs. Remember DEIR YASIN ? who did murder the whole palestinian residents? I wouldn,t surprise if YOU accuse the ARABS for that too.
...Amira is herself a second-generation Holocaust survivor...
Nope my dear. People have such a short and selective memory these days..........this is pathetic.
In 1948 Palestinians were given a choice a homeland or war and as history shows they made the wrong choice. They chose to deny the Jews a homeland thus, giving up their own option for a country . As for the comparison with the Holocaust...Jews weren't given any choice at anytime...just killed where they stood.
Just amazing. The evidence is all around if Islamic extremism even towards other Muslims. It is just sad. The attitude is 'no compromise' and 'we want it all' and 'if you disagree with me I can kill you'. If only it were not so. Personally, as an Israeli, I'd give up 90% of Israel for genuine peace - ie the peace that obtains between 2 London suburbs. No threats, free commerce, live anywhere. But so sadly there is and never will be anyone to talk to, and no way to guarantee that any treaty will be honoured. Sceptical. Just look around. Sorry Amira - you are either naive or mischievous. DK Melbourne.au and Israeli citizen.
The horrific acts of terrorism against civilians from Munich to the Intafada. The refusal until the 80's to recognise Israel and then only if it has an Arab majority?
Excuse me too, I don't think the Jews of Europe were given a choice to have the Holocaust or have a country of their own. Thus there is no possible comparison between the resulting suffereing. The Palestinians were given a choice and as history shows they made the wrong one. They chose to deny the Jews a homeland thus, giving up their own option for a country of their own along side the Jewish country.
you , after your permission, because he/she was ill treated where he/she used to live, then after a couple of years this very same person tells you that he/she has the right to 56% of your house, would you accept that?? please be honest and courageous .
Israel does not exploit the Holocaust. It only hopes that the world will understand that when enemies threaten to wipe us out, they should be taken seriously. Nor did Israel ever have a policy of oppressing or expelling the Arabs. All of the wars and battles have been fought because of the Arabs' ongoing attempt to destroy Israel. Period. Do you think Fatah has dropped its goal of destroying Israel? Then read Article 12 of the Fatah Charter, which calls for the "eradication of Zionist economic, political, military and cultural existence." People, do you understand what that means? It means that even if there are two states, the goal has not been accomplished. It also means that even if the Jews give up independence, Fatah must keep the Jews in poverty (economic eradication), and not allow them to even have a Hebrew culture, which would be the fulfillment of eradicating the cultural aspect of Zionism. And please don't tell me the Fatah charter is just a passe document. Would you belong to an organization that had such an evil goal? Why hasn't Fatah removed Article 12? If to appease the radicals, then the radicals obviously have too much say in the organization and will continue to act accordingly. In short, Hass completely distorts the truth in shamelessly accusing Israel of exploiting the Holocaust and attacking Arabs out of colonial reasons. The truth is that the main lesson of the Holocaust has been lost on Hass, i.e. that there really are entire nations that want to destroy us, and Israel attacks Arabs because most of the Arabs actively work towards Israel's destruction.
we love you amira,you are better for us than Zibbi
The Nakba is a direct consequence of Arab attempts to exterminate all Jews in Israel in 1948 and 1967. They declared this quite clearly, and continue to do so. Thus, supporting the Nakba means supporting the aim of these wars of Arabs against Israel. If Arab states would have left us in peace in U borders there would be no Nakba. What you are saying is like "Excuse me, I tried to stab you son a few times, but I failed. Can I get my knife back?"
Bravo for sharing your candid views
The goal ought to have been equality before the law, and protection against all persecutions based on one's group identity. Sadly, those great intellectuals missed the point. We not admit it? It is better to admit this, than to deny it and by doing so to continue in the folly.
Clearly you never read the Establishing document of Israel's Nationhood...it did say equality...it did say share...and in return we got war! I think your grandparents, unlike you, realized the supreme importance of having our own nation. You clearly do not...
Expulsions of thousands of palestinians took place before any sort of declaration of statehood. Expulsions of palestinians, killing of palestinians, emptying hundreds of cities and villages does NOT mean 'equality and share'. You're mistaken.
You miss the entire point. The state's founders were ALWAYS working under the false supposition that a you can have both at once: a system based justice, equality, and democracy--- and a system whose running is reserved for Jews only. You just can't have both. It's a logical impossibility. The founders were not far-sighted. They were carried away.
But the mature line of reasoning is, " We were persecuted. therefore we will make a constitution to guarantee basic human rights, and ensure that neither we nor others will be persecuted because of group-belonging." It was an immature thinking process.
Pretending Israel did not know and wanted respect and equality between communities in 48 is not naive, it's hypocrit. Conquering more land as possible was the only aim and that meant expulsing those who lived on that land.
First, you treat the founders as if they were senseless and had no conception of the issues they faced- untrue. Second, history shows that many of the Arabs (not Pal's- since there were none prior to 1964; unless you include British Mandate Language) left of their own fears or promises that they would be home in a day or two after every Jew was killed. Three, Israel did not take the land...it was promised by Balfour, established by League of Nations and ratified by the UN. Theft only occurs if you take something not given freely...Do not then argue that Israel stole land it conquered in war since the Arabs never owned the land because they never agreed to the partition. Lastly, Israel is being asked to redraw is nation because the Arabs ignored a diplomatic solution that the Israeli's agreed to in 48'. It is tiring to here Israel wants no peace. If so, it never would have agreed to the 48' partition plan. The Arabs ignored it...
Orrei you have absolutely no clue what you are talking about. My parents and grandparents were born before 1964 and each one of them carry PALESTINIAN passports! Amira speaks what you don't want to hear. "Every Jew in the world, whether a citizen of the U.S. or Morocco, has rights in this one country, from the river to the sea, that we denied to those who live in it today (palestinians), and those who were born in it and grow old as refugees in Lebanon or Syria"
The Balfour declaration talked of establishing a home for the Jews, and insisted on the rights of non-Jews. It did not say "the Jews can have all the land and oppress the Arabs".
It needs to be said again and again, until even the deaf will hear.
And it's exactly what has kept the 'light unto nations' unlit for 63 years! What was once seen as a single blossom of hope that bloomed from the madness of the holocaust is now revealing a madness of its own, and with the world's increasing awareness of what IS, not only does it remain unlit...but it's becoming buried beneath the drifting sand.
Why people like you never talk about lands and property taken from jews in arab countries? Just explain why!
i dont see a victom from the jewish arab side. again i highlight, arabs didnt expel jews, jews were relocated by the zionists to populate a newly formed country.
Really this is a message to you and to all other Zionists who make this Pavlovian reflex whenever the word Palestinian Refugee is mentioned (if it ever gets published by Haaretz) : The analogy you try to draw between the expulsion of the Palestinians in 1947-1949 and the departure of Jews from Arab countries exists only in the Hasbara. If you would bother to educate yourself about that, you will realize that the process was completely different. It depended on the colonial power (or its puppet local ruler), the Mossad involvement and activity, and the collusion of interests between the Zionists and some of the local leaders. Of course no one denies that there was some violence involved, but it is nothing compared to the systematic expulsion of the Palestinians and the premeditated destruction of their communal lives. But since when Zionists care about facts?
Again...ignorant of Arab history is not a convenient way to prove your point. In fact, Jews were kicked out of many Arab nations and gave all property and monetary savings they had in Arab lands...Syria, Iran, Iraq...Learn your history before you speak wrongly!
Oh really?Then how come these Jews left the Arab countries without their belongings?
1948 more than 30,000 2003 less than 100...so what are you talking about?
Please check your facts there are no Jews living openly in those countries. They have been killed or expelled. Arabs in Israel are free and can openly practice their religion. Try practicing anything but Islam openly in those countries.
There is no occupied palestian land.
Unfortunatey, both Jews (Ashkenazi and Mizrahi) and Palestinians are victims of the forces of history. No one group is the sole "victim" in all of this.
You don't know what you are talking about. There is not one single Jew in Syria. There are only a couple of hundred in Yemen. There are 30 Jews in Bahrein. There are no Jews in Iraq. Most of the Jews in iran fled. The ones left echo the hateful statements of the regime.
Great read. Israel must stop terrorizing the Palestinians and return land it stole.
The Jews was given the land by League of Nation in 1923 as their part of Ottoman Empire.
The Jews was given the land by League of Nation in 1923 as their part of Ottoman Empire.