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The False Narrative of the 1948 Nakba

(David Collier) David Collier - The "Nakba" is the name given to the Arab defeat in a war that they wanted, started and lost in 1948, a war in which they sought to annihilate the Jews. The Arab violence did not begin in reaction to the UN partition vote in November 1947. There were Arab massacres of Jews in 1920, 1921, 1929, 1936 and 1938, all of which occurred before 1947. And between each of these major events were lots of little ones. The truth is that by the 1920s, organized violence against Jewish communities had become a regular feature of Jewish life in Mandatory Palestine. Arabs attacked and Jews responded. Arabs that did not attack Jews were mostly left alone. From the very beginning, the Arab leadership refused to cooperate with the British Authorities or the Jewish community. Archives are full of examples of the Arab side simply not participating in discussions. Islamists such as the Grand Mufti Haj Amin el Husseini, or clan leaders in Beirut or Damascus, would issues orders and gangs on the streets of Jerusalem and Haifa would enforce them. This destroyed the opportunities for moderate voices to emerge. This strategy of rejection - more than anything else - is the reason that Arabs in the West Bank do not enjoy independence today. The controlling elements of Arab society always saw the destruction of the Jews as the ultimate goal. Nor were they shy about admitting it. Everywhere where Jews existed and "Palestinian Arabs" remained in control, Jews suffered massacres and expulsion. The Jews had no choice but to stand and fight for every inch of land they held. The alternative - as the Arabs made clear - was annihilation. The Arabs, who did not see "Palestine" as anything other than part of a greater Arab nation, could seek refuge in any nearby part of "Arab lands." The Arabs had somewhere to go; the Jews did not.
2021-09-23 00:00:00
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