BENNY MORRIS

David Ben-Gurion was the Zionist leader in Palestine and became the first Israeli Prime Minister. In 1948 the United Nations Partitioned Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab. But over a dozen Arab Armies invaded the Jewish area to take it by force. They were repulsed by a much smaller, poorer armed, Zionist population of desperate Jews. In some areas Palestinian Arabs at the request of the outside Arab leaders attacked their Jewish neighbors and where they did or they had helped the Arab armies, the civilian population was ejected. Arab leaders and demagogues told Arab Civilians to go to the West Bank behind the front lines so that the Arab armor could advance unimpeded. They were told that they could return the following week after the victory. When the victory never came, the Israelis would not allow the Arabs to return and this was the origin of the Refugee problem. About the only thing that the Jewish and Arab leadership agreed upon was that the Arab civilian population should leave the front and go to the West Bank.

A large part of the Middle East and the now “Arab” states used to be a very large Jewish State. Jews had lived in the Palestinian area and expanded from there, also using conquest as all other nations had and even occasionally, forced conversion, to establish the Jewish State. This was destroyed by the Romans and the Jews have not had a state until 1948 when the UN voted to create Israel.

A large part of the Middle East and the now “Arab” states used to be a very large Jewish State. Jews had lived in the Palestinian area and expanded from there, also using conquest as all other nations had and even occasionally, forced conversion, to establish the Jewish State. This was destroyed by the Romans and the Jews have not had a state until 1948 when the UN voted to create Israel.

David Ben-Gurion was the Zionist leader in Palestine and became the first Israeli Prime Minister. In 1948 the United Nations Partitioned Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab. But over a dozen Arab Armies invaded the Jewish area to take it by force. They were repulsed by a much smaller, poorer armed, Zionist population of desperate Jews. In some areas Palestinian Arabs at the request of the outside Arab leaders attacked their Jewish neighbors and where they did or they had helped the Arab armies, the civilian population was ejected. Arab leaders and demagogues told Arab Civilians to go to the West Bank behind the front lines so that the Arab armor could advance unimpeded. They were told that they could return the following week after the victory. When the victory never came, the Israelis would not allow the Arabs to return and this was the origin of the Refugee problem. About the only thing that the Jewish and Arab leadership agreed upon was that the Arab civilian population should leave the front and go to the West Bank.