You are on page 1of 20

Doaa El Shereef

Jewish refugees?!!
The issue of “Jewish refugees” destroys the lie of the “Land of Israel”?

66% of Palestinians who lived in historic Palestine were displaced, according to the United Nations reports in 1950 for the
Palestinian Nakba; that catastrophe that took place in the territory of Palestine and made more than half of the population leave and
stay until today in the countries of asylum. Where are they now? And how did they become?

It is known that a refugee is a and resorted to other countries his life. But the Israeli entity
person who was expelled from his because of unjust wars and has not only distorted, falsified
homeland or left his homeland conflicts that negatively affect and judaized the paper and stone
6
Issues of the Edition

evidence and documents to steal orbit of the former Soviet Union, while Jewish refugees from Arab
and loot the history, geography and the process of displacement of States have lost, as claimed by
and heritage of the historic land the Falasha from Ethiopia through the document what is worth
of Palestine. They invented new Sudan, which was a secret operation $700 million, which is $6 billion
methods of forgery and distortion, and considered by Israel as a heroic according to the current value.
but this time by terminology. A act.
new term fabricated by the Israeli The document recommended that
entity is “Jewish refugees” in This is the biggest proof of Israel not only claim personal
a blatant attempt to evade the contradiction in Israeli narratives. compensation for the so-called
right of “Palestinian refugees”. This new campaign contradicts the “Jewish refugees” but also claim
This fabrication did not come official Israeli narrative over the compensation for the State of
from nothing, but with an course of decades that the Jews of Israel, which spent resources to
attempt of some members of the the Arab countries have voluntarily accommodate them during the 1950s
US Congress, which called for migrated to Israel for ideological and 1960s.
the cessation of funding funds Zionist motives, which is confirmed
of organizations supporting the by those responsible for these Accordingly, the Israeli Ministry
Palestinian refugees, as part of the operations, as we later prove. of Education set a day to mark the
Israeli efforts to avoid recognizing anniversary of the migration of
the right of return of Palestinian This new fabrication or term (Jewish oriental Jews from Arab countries to
refugees, to try to link the so- refugees) was revealed through the occupying State on a day named
called “Jewish refugees” with the an official document containing “Jews of Arab countries emigration
Palestinian refugee issue and to the official position that Tel Aviv to Israel.”
place it as a precondition for the is supposed to present during
peace process in the Middle East, the settlement negotiations with The Israeli Ministry, by order of
in an attempt by the Israeli side the Palestinians. This is what the the Minister of Education, Naftali
to bring down the legal value of documents, studies and the Hebrew Bennett, set November 30th of
Palestinian refugees. newspapers have pointed out, each year to commemorate the
which stressed that this document anniversary. The aim was to promote
This is despite the fact that, in is the outcome of an Israeli political the identity of the Oriental Jews
accordance with the definition of the decision by Prime Minister Benjamin and their history in the education
United Nations High Commissioner Netanyahu which states that the programme in Israel. Sunday,
for Refugees (established on 14th problem of (Jewish refugees) from 30th November 2016 marked the
December 1950 by the United Arab States must from now on be first anniversary of the exodus and
Nations General Assembly), a political issue in the negotiations displacement of Jews from Arab
refugees are persons fleeing conflict on a permanent solution with the countries.
or persecution in their home Palestinians.
countries, recognized and protected This is the first time Israel has
by international law, and should not The vivid and wild imagination and held a ceremony for this occasion,
be expelled or returned to situations inventive mathematics concluded Netanyahu said during the ceremony:
endangering their lives and freedom. that the number of those refugees “For the first time we pay tribute
calculated from the date of the to the displacement of hundreds
According to Israeli law, Jews who partition resolution issued by the of thousands of Jews from Arab
emigrated to Israel were returning United Nations in November 1947 to countries after the first years of
to the land of their parents and the year 1968, and according to this statehood.”
grandparents, meaning that they criterion, was estimated at 800,000
were not refugees. In addition, Jewish refugees compared with 600 He added:
Israel was carrying out media and to 700 thousand Palestinian refugees “It is no coincidence that we hold
diplomatic campaigns against during this period, and the value this celebration, one day after the
countries that were restricting the of property lost by the Palestinian anniversary of the United Nations
immigration of its Jewish citizens refugees in the period amounted to Resolution 181, known as the land
to Israel, especially the group of about $450 million, an estimated partition decision to two Jewish
socialist countries that were in the current value of about $3.9 billion, and Arab States, which we then
7
accepted while the Arab States • Some Jews were pushed to Countries” JJAC, the organization
rejected it.” Netanyahu’s Facebook breach the security of the that, shortly before the conference
page said. State, in which the Jews lived, in Nablus (2007), revealed
so as to stir up trouble and UN documents showing that
Netanyahu continued: unrest. the Members of the League of
“At some time during the V. The model of secret Arab States have developed
displacement, there were many Mossad operations for forced and implemented a systematic
persecutions against the Jews, so displacement of the Jews of Iraq. programme for the suppression and
we will work for them and will persecution of Jews in Arab States
not forget these Jews and will not First: Date of the emergence of following the establishment of the
forget their rights.” the idea according to the Israeli State of Israel. JJAC demanded,
narrative in light of that, the recognition of
Therefore, we devoted the theme hundreds of thousands of Jews as
of this edition of Palestine in a In a dangerous precedent and for refugees, just as Palestinians are
month Magazine to uncover the the first time in the history of the recognized as refugees.
dimensions, details and seriousness international organization and in the
of this plot and to prove with presence of Israeli Deputy Foreign During the peace talks at Camp
evidence, personal testimonies and Minister, Danny Ayalon, the United David in 2000, President Clinton
Hebrew documents that the Jews Nations agreed to hold a meeting at announced that if an agreement
were not forcibly displaced from its headquarters in New York on 21st was reached, an international fund
Arab States but rather planned and September 2012 to discuss what it would be established to compensate
carried out by the Israeli Mossad called “allegations” by Jews who Arab and Jewish refugees from Arab
and will quote the Jews of Iraq as an lived in some Arab States that they countries alike. Israel’s position at
example. were banished on Friday. the 2000 Camp David talks was that
“the issue of Jews banished from
The case will be addressed through The Israeli media expressed an Arab States or forced to leave in
the following topics: overwhelming Israeli joy at this the aftermath of the 1948 war or the
meeting. Israeli sources deemed the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the related
I. Date of the emergence of United Nations’ approval of such demands, should not be neglected”.
the idea according to the Israeli a meeting as a recognition of their Israel even addressed the issue in its
narrative. rights by stating that the Jews were response to the ideas put forward
II. Content of ‫המועצה לביטחון‬ banished from the Arab States and by US President Bill Clinton in
‫לאומי‬ the National Security that recognition of them as refugees December 2000.
document. is not a moral recognition but a legal
III. The real dangers of the basis, as alleged. The US House of Representatives
Zionist claims in the “Arab Jews adopted President Clinton’s
file”!! What does this step mean? What are proposal in April 2008 that Jewish
IV. Terrorism and Violence ... the real risks? What are the goals refugees should be recognized as
The basis of the Zionist project, it sought by the Zionist entity from refugees under the United Nations
includes : this? Charter and thus an international
• Zionist terrorism in the face of fund should be set up to compensate
Arabs. The issue of Jewish refugees in the Jewish and Palestinian refugees for
• Zionist terrorism against the Middle East was raised in the 1970s, loss of their property. That decision
Jews through: and the leading role was played by of the House of Representatives
• Direct and indirect use of some former Knesset Member, Mordechai , known as Resolution 185 of the
officials and citizens (non- Ben Porat and others. The first House of Representatives, stipulated
Jews) to carry out persecution organization related to the issue that the issue of one refugee group
campaigns against Jews living was the World Organization of Jews shall not be resolved without solving
among them. from Arab Countries (WOJAC). the other at the same time. However,
• Some Jews were forced to it was thrown aside, to remain on
sacrifice some of their Jewish At a later stage, the organization the sidelines of the international
brethren. “Justice for Jews from Arab discourse.
8
Issues of the Edition

During the Annapolis negotiations and the Ministry of Pensioners’ across the Arab world. Jewish shops,
in 2007, then Foreign at the time Affairs. The team’s deliberation synagogues and synagogues were
Minister Tzipi Livni raised the also witnessed the participation looted and burned, in addition to the
problem of Jewish refugees. of historians and economists from killing of hundreds of Jews and the
A source who participated in academia, representatives of Jewish imprisonment of thousands.
the negotiations said that The organizations such as the World
Palestinians did not reject the Israeli Jewish Congress and the Jewish When Israel became an independent
demand to pay compensation to the American Justice Organization for State in May 1948, the Political
Jewish refugees, but claimed that the Jews of the Arab States (JJAC). Committee of the League of Arab
it should be raised in negotiations States convened to give a series of
with Arab States, and stressed that The team adds that in previous rounds recommendations for all Arab and
they are not a party to the matter. of negotiations, Israel responded Islamic countries on how to take an
Thus, Palestinians said: There is no only to Palestinian demands and did action against Jews in their countries.
connection between the problem of not raise demands on its part. “The Among these recommendations
Palestinian refugees and the issue of Palestinians have made a great effort were the withdrawal of citizenship
Jewish refugees. to prepare the ground for negotiations from Jews, making them citizens of
by establishing the narrative of the the State of Israel only, which was
The government of “Israel” started plight of the Palestinian refugees in newly founded. Their property was
being intensively busy with the issue international discourse” the report confiscated, their money frozen in
after the first visit of Prime Minister, said. They have been able to achieve banks and millions of dollars were
Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington, broad international recognition of nationalized.
in May 2009, and the “Bar Ilan “ the need for an appropriate solution
speech a month later. At that time, for Palestinian refugees and even The Jews were prevented from
Netanyahu expressed, for the first a readiness to help finance the working in ministries, and sever
time, his consent to the principle solution. A former senior official restrictions were imposed on their
of the two-State solution for the says that the problem of Jewish work in government departments,
two peoples. In 2006, Netanyahu refugees in particular has been and many of them lost their source
has instructed Uzi Arad, Head of seriously explored in the past. of income.
the National Security Command, at On 10th February 2010, the case Between 1948 and 1951, 850,000
that time, to start preparing for the received an internal recognition in Jews were displaced from Arab
resumption of negotiations with the Israel, where the Knesset; Israeli States, either by direct expulsion
Palestinians. When he was a senior parliament, enacted the “Law for or forced to emigrate, to become
researcher at the multidisciplinary, the Preservation of the Right to refugees. During the period between
Herzliya Center, “Arad” coordinated Compensation of Jewish Refugees the late 1940s and the year 1967,
the work of an academic team on from Arab Countries and Iran.” the vast majority of Jews from Arab
the political and legal aspects of the countries were dislodged from the
problem of Jewish refugees from Israel is trying to find a historical countries where they were born,
Arab States. basis for the development of the with most of the Jewish communities
issue of Jewish refugees in Arab in these countries obliterating,
As a national security adviser, States. According to the Israeli leaving behind a few thousand Jews
Arad put together a special team narrative, before the partition plan scattered in a few cities.
of government representatives was introduced in November 1947,
and academic experts to formulate Arab States led by the League However, historical studies
Israel’s official position on Jewish of Arab States took hostile and published in Israel confirm that
refugees from Arab States. Arad accelerated actions against their most of the Jews who emigrated
said that he received Netanyahu’s Jewish communities. from Arab States, especially from
blessing and appointed Lieutenant Morocco and Iraq, to Israel after
Colonel “Orna Mizrahi” to head After the partition project was laid the establishment of the latter were
the team. Arad also put “Alon” down, Arab governments started under agreements between Israel
in the picture, and included the seizing Jewish property. At the same and Arab States, although at first
Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of time, the riots and massacres against Arab States rejected the exit of Jews
Justice, the Ministry of Finance the Jewish communities reached all of their lands in most cases.
9
According to the document , the
number of Jewish refugees is about
800 thousand. While Palestinian
refugees, on the other hand, are 600
to 700, thousand. Most Palestinian
refugees left between 1947 and
1949, 200 to 300 thousand of
them, who moved from the West
Bank to Jordan after June 1967, are
considered displaced.
According to the document, the
Israeli interest is to establish a
link between the “tragedy of the
Jewish refugees” and the question
of Palestinian refugees. Its authors
stress that the two issues are
desirable as a single package in the
Israeli newspaper Haaretz on 12th September 2012
National Security Council: Establishing a link between Palestinian refugees and Jews
refugee issue in the negotiations on
from Arab States. a permanent settlement.
An official position paper presented to the Prime Minister suggests that Israel has the
responsibility to create a “double emission” for the League of Arab States and the Arab Third: The real dangers of the
States and to present the issue in future negotiations with the Palestinian Authority.
Zionist claims in the “Arab Jews
Second:Content of ‫המועצה לביטחון‬ their homes in the Arab States and file”!!
‫ לאומי‬the National Security had migrated to Israel deserved
document refugee status under international Explicit confession
law.
On 24th May 2011, the National The global step, which takes place
Security Command team submitted The document includes, for the for the first time in the history of the
to Netanyahu and other senior first time, a formal definition of United Nations, means that “there is
officials in the political leadership the concept of Jewish refugees an explicit acknowledgment by the
the summary of their study of the from Arab States. According to the international institution that Jews
issue in a document titled: document, the starting point in the were expelled from Arab States and
count of Jewish refugees from the that they have rights as refugees,
‫סיכום עבודת מטה והצעת עמדת‬ Arab States is the resolution of the which will acquire legal legitimacy,
‫ישראל למו”מ עם הפלסטינים בנושא‬ United Nations General Assembly not just moral,” according to Israeli
‫הפליטים היהודים‬ in the partition plan in November officials.
Summary of the study and 1947. The count of Jewish refugees For the first time before such
proposal of Israel’s position on ends in 1968, after the Six-Day War. international forum, the Israeli
negotiating with the Palestinians The document considers that the argument that 900,000 Jews are
the issue of Jewish refugees. Jews in Arab States were forcibly forced to flee Arab States with the
displaced from their countries, and founding of the occupying entity in
Where the team recommended were not allowed to take or sell their Palestine in 1948 is being discussed,
that the issue of compensation for property, and estimates their number in response to the demand for return
Jewish refugees from Arab countries at 856 thousand of whom 600 and compensation for their property
be included in negotiations with the thousand emigrated to Palestine, and at a value of $100-400 billion.
Palestinians. The team believed that the rest spread in America, Canada The occupation claims that these
the differences between the Jews and Europe. From the point of view Jews were forcibly displaced from
of Arab States and the Palestinian of the Israeli National Security the Arab and Islamic countries of
refugees must be recognized. Council, the Jewish refugees at that Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Yemen, Iraq,
After a legal examination by the time possessed 700 million dollars, Iran, Bahrain, Morocco, Libya,
National Security Council, the team currently estimated at 6 billion Tunisia, Algeria and Mauritania
determined that Jews who had left dollars. between the years 1948 and 1956 and
10
Issues of the Edition

have the right to compensation for another type of terrorism, which is thousands of Arab Palestinians
their lost property and possessions. Zionist terrorism against the Jews were killed in one day.”
In this regard, delegations formed themselves. Zionist terrorism in the
by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign face of Arabs. Zionist Terrorism against Jews
Affairs are preparing to visit Arab The acts of organized violence
and Islamic countries to count and Zionist terrorism against Through cooperation with some
and enumerate the property and Arabs are not only found in the ‘international powers, Zionism has
possessions of the Jews who left Talmudic system of thought or sought to inflict terrorism upon the
for Palestine in preparation for the just among the theorists of the first lives and psychological states of
compensation claims that will be Zionist movement, but rather in the Jews in some of the world countries,
raised under the law legislated by intellectual and political analogues through the so-called “anti-
the occupation authorities, with with the new generation of Zionist Semitism” in order to force them to
the requirement of paying such leaders. We see this clearly in the leave their original homelands and
compensations in any political speech of former Prime Minister, migrate to Palestine.
settlement and peace agreement Menachem Begin to the Zionists, Anti-Semitism was the method
with Arab States. which stated: largely used by Zionists to raise the
“Your hearts, Jews, should not fear of Jews living in their original
The Israeli claim, according to suffer when you kill your enemy, homeland, in order to push them
political and legal circles, confuses and you should not take them with to migrate to Palestine through
“the reality of the voluntary exit pity.” different paths, the most important
of Jews from these countries of which are as follows:
according to the mechanisms of This confirms what the Zionist
Zionism and the myth of forced writer, B. Michael said in an article First: Directly or indirectly pushing
expulsion, to distort the right of published in the Haulam Hazeh and using some officials and non-
return of Palestinian refugees to newspaper on 19th May 1976: Jews to organize persecuting
their homes and lands, from which “Deir Yassin massacre was campaigns against the Jews who
they were forcibly displaced by deliberate and directed to live among them, in order to push
the brutal Zionist aggression of terrorise the Arabs and get them them to migrate to Palestine. Thus,
1948.” to leave their villages.” the Zionist author, Jakob Klatzkin,
defending this Anti-Semitism path:
Fourth: Terrorism and Violence... Zionist writer “Arthur Costler” said: “Instead of establishing
The basis of the Zionist project “The blood baths that were associations against anti-Semites
planned and carried out at Deir who want to impair our rights,
Terrorism and violence constitute Yassin were not unique. Similar we must establish associations
the basis of the Zionist project. The blood baths were carried out in against our friends who want to
Zionist terror is constantly present. Haifa on 23rd April 1948, and defend our rights.”
but the scale of its spread is linked
to the balance of power. Therefore,
this terrorism reached its peak in
1947 and 1948, when Zionism,
complicit with British colonialism,
realized that its victory was near, it
thus rushed to invade the land and
force the Palestinians to leave their
country.
The Zionist terrorism has many
and malicious facets. It does not
stop at confronting Arabs only, but
there is also another Zionist terror
against those who support the Jews
in their plans to occupy the land of DL Niewyk The Jews in Weimar Germany, Louisiana, p139, fn 68; citing Israelitisches
Palestine, i.e. the British. There is Familienblatt 3rd June 1920.

11
the exodus of Jews to Palestine. For
example:
• On 25th November 1940, the
Zionist organisation of Haganah
blew off Patria, a French ship
when it arrived at the Port of
Haifa, with nearly 1,800 illegal
Jew migrants on board. The
Zionist movement decided to
blow off part of the ship to force
the British side to allow illegal
migrants to enter. This operation
resulted in the death of 280
Jews.
M. Steinglass, “Emil Ludwig before the Judge”, American Jewish Times, (April, 1936), • In February 1942, Zionist
p. 35; as quoted in: L. Brenner, Zionism in the Age of the Dictators, Chapter 6, Croom organisations torpedoed Struma
Helm, London, L. Hill, Westport, Connecticut, (1983), p. 59. ship near the Turkish coasts.
Perhaps a good example for this is was very much welcomed, and It carried on board 770 Jewish
how Zionism took advantage of the many of our German Jews were illegal emigrants, drowning all
persecution of Nazism against Jews. in hesitancy between the two of them. 18 years later, both
Zionism largely took advantage beaches, while thousands of those Moshe Sharett and Ben-Gurion
of this persecution to push Jews whose Judaism appeared to have admitted their responsibility
everywhere to migrate to Palestine. lost them returned to where they of the massacre. They said:
were before because of Hitler. “Oftentimes it is necessary to
This was expressed in a book by Personally, I am so grateful to sacrifice some for the survival
the German author, Emil Ludwig him.” of all.” Rabbi Schonfeld
(originally named Emil Cohn): supported their words by
“In few years, Hitler will be Second: Pushing Jews to sacrifice saying, “the right to survival
forgotten, but he will be a some of their Jew brothers in order is a Jewish right when he is
beautiful statue in Palestine. As to gain world sympathy for the on the “land” of Israel only,
you know, the arrival of the Nazi tragic fate of the Jews to facilitate and if this were impossible,
it is better that his death
and torture be in the service
of building the State of the
future.” The quote is from the
Jewish author, Arie Bober in
his book “The Other Israel:
the Radical Case Against
Zionism.”

Third: Pushing some Jews to


disrupt the security of the State, in
which the Jews live, for example,
stirring unrest and strikes so that the
country or its people blame the Jews,
which would force them to emigrate
to Palestine in a view to putting
pressure on the international public
opinion. Thus, in a report presented
to the Jewish American Conference
‫אוניית המעפילים פאטריה שוקעת בנמל חיפה‬ held in May 1948, Rabbi Clarence
Patria, the immigrants ship which sank in the Port of Haifa said that:
12
Issues of the Edition

‫ בשליחות מחתרתית לארצות ערב שלמה‬:‫רוח קדים‬


Guide to the Abraham Klausner Papers,1942-2002
‫הלל‬
“It is easy to create an event, anti-Muslim leaflets led to a state Israeli Mossad officer Shlomo Hillel ex-
plains in his book “Operation Babylon:
so that it forces the Jewish sect of chaos and horror, leading to The Story of the Rescue of the Jews of
to reconsider its policies and the immigration of 150,000 Jews, Iraq” how he travelled secretly to Iraq to
implement the proposed changes, which make up the majority of the work with an intelligence working group
and at the same time the Jewish Jewish community, to Palestine. The to plant bombs in the Jewish synagogues
and gatherings to pressure the Jews to
people would suffer more, the operation has a secret name, “Ali
emigrate, adding that Iraqis are innocent
anti-Semitism wave would surge, Baba,” and it will be the main topic of this stigma. Shlomo became a major
and the strife would continue for of the Palestine in Month Magazine, leader in Israel and held important posi-
the sake of the desired objective.” with the testimonies and admittance tions in the higher authority.
of the terrorist Jews who carried
Fifth: The secret Mossad out and planned this operation, and
operations model for the forced others, according to Hebrew and
emigration of Iraq Jews foreign sources.

Perhaps the best example is the By 1949, Zionist organisations were


exodus of the majority of Iraq Jews still secretly smuggling Iraqi Jews to
to the occupied Palestine in 1951. Palestine, mostly through the Iranian
route, despite being chased by Iraqi
Between 1950 and 1951, five bombs authorities for several years.
were dropped in Baghdad to activate
the emigration of Iraq Jews to Approximately 1,000 Jews were
Palestine. Jewish suspects admitted being transported every month,
to doing this after their arrest, in addition to the terrorist attacks
confirming how anti-Semitism was within the Jewish community
used to force the emigration of itself. During that year, security
Jews through this horrific weapon forces in Iraq arrested Saeed Khali Israel’s Secret Wars: A History of Israel’s
and pushing them to emigrate to Subhi, after keeping an eye on his Intelligence Services
Palestine. destructive activities among the This is the first comprehensive and
Jewish community in Baghdad. documented history of the three Israeli
Indeed, this scheme has succeded, intelligence services since their establish-
ment in 1930, until the Israeli wars and
and resulted in the issuance of After his arrest, Saeed admitted the five Israeli wars, to this day.
13
to being a Zionist spy in Iraq, and Iraqi Jewish Naeim Giladi the Haganah and the Mossad
that he and a group of these spies exposes information on explosions Eliminated Jews.” In the book
(among them was Mordechai and exodus in Palestine and Iraq Giladi exposes countless secrets,
Ben-Porat, whom Iraqi Jews truths, and details. For example,
called Morad Abu Al-Knabel, or during the British occupation of
Mordechai Bomber) were in charge Iraq in the 1940s, British leaders
of a severe promotional campaign were behind the riots against Jews
among the Iraqi Jews, who at that in their neighbourhoods, as a pretext
time amounted to 150,000 people, for them to enter the capital and
to urge them to leave Iraq and move overthrow Al-Gaylani’s government
to Israel. back then.

Moreover, the Iraqi authorities While his Iraqi wife Rachel cooks
have found many weapons which delicious Iraqi food, Giladi says
were hidden in the houses of some that “the reason that pushed him
Jews and their religious temples in to write the book is to tell the
Baghdad. American people, and especially
American Jews, that Jews from
During September 1949, the secret Islamic lands did not emigrate
intelligence services in Israel willingly to Israel; that, to force
assigned a secret Zionist activist them to leave, Jews killed Jews;
named Mordechai Ben-Porat to Naeim Giladi in 1947 and that, to buy time to confiscate
travel in secret to Iraq in a mission Naeim Giladi, an Arab Iraqi Jew born in ever more Arab lands, Jews on
Hillah, south Baghdad in 14th March 1929.
to carry out terrorist operations numerous occasions rejected
He was a former member of the secret
against Iraqi Jews with the aim Zionist movement. He left Iraq to Israel in genuine peace initiatives from
of encouraging them to leave the May 1950, and took part in the 1967 war. their Arab neighbours.”
country and emigrate to Israel, as And later, he voluntarily relinquished his
well as waging a promotional war Israeli citizenship to live in New York and Giladi adds,
to become an American citizen.
among them against their Iraqi “I write about what the first Prime
citizens and in the world against Minister of Israel called “cruel
Iraq. Zionism. I write about it because
I was part of it.”
Years later, when Iraqi Jews in
Israel found out about this, they Giladi adds,
gave Mordechai the nickname “A witness of his own folk, I
Morad Abu Al-Knabel (Mordechai do not brief what I read or tell
Bomber), since Morad is the Arabic what I heard; I depose trusted
name for Mordechai. information on what I lived.”

In the same month, Naeim Khalaschi Giladi, who was detained by the
Giladi, an Iraqi Jew who was among Iraqi forces and tortured using all
the Zionist activists who were tried forms of torture in Abu Gharib
in military courts and sentenced to prison for two days, writes:
execution by hanging to death in “I was disillusioned at what I found
1947, was able to manage his escape in the Promised Land, disillusioned
to Iran and then to Palestine, arriving personally, disillusioned at
in May 1950. the institutionalized racism,
disillusioned at what I was
Soon after, Khalaschi Giladi beginning to learn about Zionism’s
revolted against Israel and the He self-published a book at his cruelties, and I began to find out
Zionist movement and published own expense at $60,000, entitled about the barbaric methods used
articles and a book in this regard. “Ben-Gurion’s Scandals: How to rid the fledgling states of as
14
Issues of the Edition

many Palestinians as possible. removal of the British military So many applied, in fact, that
Jewish forces would empty Arab mission that had run Iraq’s army for the Iraqi police had to open
villages of their populations, 27 years. registration offices in Jewish
often by threats, sometimes by In September 1949, Israel sent the schools and synagogues.
just gunning down a half-dozen spy Mordechai Ben-Porat, the one • On 10th May, at 3 am, a grenade
unarmed Arabs as examples to mentioned as Venom of the Zionist was tossed in the direction of the
the rest. However, the Israelis put Viper to Iraq. display window of the Jewish-
typhus and dysentery bacteria into Soon after, Zionist and Iraqi owned Beit-Lawi Automobile
the water wells to make sure that representatives began formulating a Company, destroying part of
Arabs could not return to make a rough draft of the bill, according to the building. No casualties were
fresh life for themselves in these the model dictated by Israel through reported.
villages. The world recoils today its spies in Baghdad. The bill was • On 3rd June 1950, another
at the thought of bacteriological passed by the Iraqi parliament grenade was tossed from a
warfare, but Israel was probably in March 1950, empowering the speeding car in the El-Batawin
the first to actually use it in the government to issue one-time exit area of Baghdad, where most
Middle East.” visas to Jews wishing to leave the rich Jews and middle class
country. In March, the bombings Iraqis lived. No one was hurt,
Naeim Giladi said that the reason for began. but following the explosion
publishing this book: Later in 1948, Baghdad sent an Zionist activists sent telegrams
“That Jews from Islamic lands did army detachment to Palestine to to Israel requesting that the
not emigrate willingly to Israel; fight the Zionists, and when Israel quota for immigration from Iraq
that, to force them to leave, Jews declared independence in May, Iraq be increased.
killed Jews; and that, to buy time closed the pipeline that fed its oil to • On 5th June, at 2:30 am, a
to confiscate ever more Arab Haifa’s refinery. I was in the Abu- bomb exploded next to the
lands.” Greib prison in 1948, where I would Jewish owned Stanley Shashua
remain until my escape to Iran in building on El-Rashid street,
Naeim Giladi gives evidence on the September 1949. resulting in property damage but
secret exodus of Iraqi Jews and of • The exact date was 19th March no casualties.
the bombings that took place during 1950: a bomb went off at the • On 14th January 1951, at 7 pm,
the period of 1950-1951. American Cultural Center and a grenade was thrown at a group
The anti-Jewish riots of 1941 did Library in Baghdad, causing of Jews outside the Masouda
more than creating a pretext for the property damage and injuring Shem-Tov Synagogue. The
British to enter Baghdad to reinstate a number of people. The center explosive struck a high-voltage
the pro-British regent. They also was a favourite meeting place cable, electrocuting three
gave the Zionists in Palestine a for young Jews. Jews, one a young boy, Itzhak
pretext to set up an underground • The first bomb thrown directly Elmacher, and wounding over
Zionism in Iraq, first in Baghdad, at Jews occurred on 8th April 30 others. Following the attack,
then in other cities such as Basra, 1950, at 9:15 pm. A car with the exodus of Jews jumped to
Amara, Hillah, Diwaneia, Abril, and three young passengers hurled between 600-700 per day.
Kirkuk. the grenade at Baghdad’s El- • On 14th March 1951, a bomb
Following World War II, a Dar El-Bida Café, where Jews exploded in front of the
succession of governments held were celebrating Passover. American Information Center
power in Iraq. Zionist conquests in Four people were seriously near Safafeer copper market,
Palestine, particularly the massacre injured. That night leaflets were El-Rashid street in Baghdad, a
of Palestinians in the village of Deir distributed calling on Jews to place regularly visited by Jews
Yassin, emboldened the anti-British leave Iraq immediately. in large numbers, which resulted
movement in Iraq. When the Iraqi • The next day, many Jews, most in the injuries of some, but no
government signed a new treaty of of them poor with nothing to casualties.
friendship with London in January lose, jammed emigration offices
1948, riots broke out all over the urges them to renounce their Sixteen years later, the Israeli
country. The treaty was quickly citizenship and to apply for magazine Haolam Hazeh, published
abandoned and Baghdad demanded permission to leave for Israel. by Uri Avnery, then a Knesset
15
member, accused Ben-Porat of the
Baghdad bombings. Ben-Porat, who
would become a Knesset member
himself, denied the charge, but
never sued the magazine for libel.
And Iraqi Jews in Israel still call him
Morad Abu Al-Knabel, Mordechai
of the Bombs.
Giladi confirms that the Zionist
propagandists still maintain that the
bombs in Iraq were set off by anti-
Jewish Iraqis, who wanted Jews out
of their country. The terrible truth
is that the grenades that killed and
maimed Iraqi Jews and damaged
their property were thrown by
Zionist Jews.
Among the most important
documents in my book, I believe,
are copies of two leaflets published
by the Zionist underground calling
on Jews to leave Iraq. One is dated
16th March 1950, the other 8th April
1950.

The difference between these two


is critical. Both indicate the date
of publication, but only the 8th
April leaflet notes the time of day:
4 pm Why that time of day? Such
a specification was unprecedented.
Even the investigating judge,
Salaman El-Beit, found it suspicious.
Did the 4 pm writers want an alibi
for a bombing they knew would
occur five hours later? If so, how did
they know about the bombing? The
judge concluded they knew because
a connection existed between the
Zionist underground and the bomb
throwers.

This, too, was the conclusion of


Wilbur Crane Eveland, a former
Senior Officer in the Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA), whom I
had the opportunity to meet in New
York in 1988. In his book, Ropes of
Sand, whose publication the CIA to terrorize the Jews, the began to appear urging Jews to
opposed, Eveland writes: Zionists planted bombs in the flee to Israel. Although the Iraqi
“In attempts to portray the US Information Service library police later provided our embassy
Iraqis as anti-American and and in synagogues. Soon leaflets with evidence to show that the
16
Issues of the Edition

synagogue and library bombings, attack matched traces of explosives In an interview with the Israeli Scene,
as well as the anti-Jewish and anti- found in the suitcase of an Iraqi Jew Israeli political activist Sadiq Sadiq,
American leaflet campaigns, had by the name of Yosef Basri. Basri, an Iraqi Jew, admitted saying that,
been the work of an underground a lawyer, together with Shalom “I was born in Iraq. I migrated
Zionist organization, most of the Salih, a shoemaker, would be put to Israel in 1951, and I was not
world believed reports that Arab on trial for the attacks in December the only migrant. The number of
terrorism had motivated the 1951, and executed the following Iraqis, who came to Israel that
flight of the Iraqi Jews, whom the month. Both men were members year was approximately 130,000
Zionists had “rescued” really just of Hashura, the military arm of Iraqis.”
in order to increase Israel’s Jewish the Zionist underground. Salih
population.” ultimately confessed that he, Basri He said in an interview: “One of
and a third man, Yosef Habaza, the means used to force the Jews
carried out the attacks. of Iraq to flee their land is the
bombings that were carried out in
the Jewish synagogues by its spies,
so that it would be said that Arabs
are bombing the synagogues to
throw the Jews out. But the Jews,
who were involved in the bombings
of the synagogues in Baghdad
were arrested. From all of this,
we conclude that Arabs did not
throw the Jews out of their land,
but the Zionist movement did,
and the Mossad was responsible
for their immigration, as it was
not possible to build the State of
Israel without the immigration
and gathering of Jews from all
over the world to Palestine. Thus,
‫יוסף בצרי‬ all the means were used to achieve
Yosef Basri this, including organized Zionist
Eveland does not detail the evidence terrorism.”
linking the Zionists to the attacks, It is important to mention here the
but in my book I do. In 1955, for book “Road in the Desert” by Yosef Shlomo Hillel and “Operation
example, I organized in Israel a Meir, which refers to the execution Babylon: The Story of the Rescue
panel of Jewish attorneys of Iraqi threat letters to Iraqi officer, Abdul of the Jews of Iraq”
origin to handle claims of Iraqi Jews Rahman Al Samerai who exposed
who still had property in Iraq. One the terrorist Zionist organization “Operation Babylon: The Story
well known attorney, who asked in Iraq and carried out executions of the Rescue of the Jews of Iraq”
that I not give his name, confided in on some of its members, as well is a memoir for the author and a
me that laboratory tests in Iraq had as threats to Abdul Jabbar Fahmi, significant historical documentation.
confirmed that the anti-American Police Chief at that time, Salman It is the first of its kind to
leaflets found at the American Bayat, the Governor, and Shakir Al- collect testimonies of the illegal
Cultural Center bombing were Ani, Attorney-General, following immigration from the East. The
typed on the same typewriter and the verdict. book tells a dramatic description
duplicated on the same stenciling It is also essential to point out to for the underground activities which
machine as the leaflets distributed the book “To Baghdad and Back” took place during that period, and
by the Zionist movement just before by Mordechai Ben Porat, which the bold operations which were
8th April bombing. confirms the daily flights organized carried out to force Jews to migrate,
Tests also showed that the type of to transport Jews from Iraq to from the author’s point of view, in
explosive used in the Beit-Lawi Palestine through Arab airports. addition to analyzing the historical
17
and political background of the following negotiations that lasted of the aircraft, carried out the
events during that period. for a month, the two parties came to operation, and contracted with
Hillel was born to a Jewish family an official agreement that the aircraft pilot Leo Vessenberg, who at that
in Iraq. In the mid-1940s, he left which would transport the Iraqi Jews time captained two flights to Iraq
Iraq a young man to join the Zionist permanently leaving Iraq to Palestine in August and September 1947 to
movement in Palestine, where he would first land on soils with normal carry out the secret operation.”
was recruited by the Mossad, the diplomatic relations with Iraq, and
intelligence agency of Israel, to it was agreed that Cyprus would be The Mossad carried out the operation
carry out special operations for the land. The operation was carried in coordination with Zionist
Zionists and Israel inside Iraq. out in cooperation with the “Israeli” organisations in Iraq, through two
British and American governments. Curtiss C-46 Commandos. These
Since then, the Mossad would send aircrafts carried roughly 100 Iraqi
Hillel secretly to Iraq several times ‫ מבצע מייקלברג‬Operation immigrants illegally, despite the
for exploratory and preparatory Michaelberg or Operation Wing objection of the British Mandate
covert visits from Palestine to Iraq, authorities to these immigrations.”
with the pretence of taking part in At the beginning, the documents
the deporting operations of Iraqi expose the Mossad for Illegal The Mossad agents responsible for
Jews, who wanted to permanently Immigration, Israel Ministry of this operation were Shlomo Hillem
leave Iraq and come to Palestine, as Foreign Affairs, and the UK Foreign (‫)שלמה הלל‬, Yerahmiel Assa (‫ירחמיאל‬
per the law of relinquishing the Iraqi Office for the period of 1946-1951, ‫)אסא‬, and David Nameri (‫)דוד נמרי‬.
citizenship by those who want to the period in which the author
voluntarily leave Iraq permanently, carried underground operations
a law which had recently been in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Iran and
issued. In reality, he was organizing Egypt. Author Shlomo Hillel is a
the illegal immigration of Iraqi Jews well-known public figure for years.
to Palestine.
The book, however, mainly
Meanwhile, his family stayed in addresses the early life of the author,
Baghdad all this time. He was in which he was less famous, and
exposed more than once by the at that time was an agent for the
Iraqi Intelligence Service and was Mossad, moving Jews when he was
detained by the Iraqi authorities 23 years old.
on charges of carrying out Zionist
operations. But he was released. He was sent on a covert mission to
Iraq to work underground in the land
In early March, when the he was born and lived the first 10 ‫ ירחמיאל אסא‬Yerahmiel Assa
Denaturalization Act was issued for years of his life thereof. He worked
the Jews who wish to permanently under a false identity for roughly a
leave Iraq, the Mossad sent Hillel to year, where he formed a clandestine
Baghdad in order to arrange for the organization, in which he was later
Iraqi Jews, who want to benefit from its leader, in the summer of 1947.
the Act, their travel to Palestine. His He was responsible for carrying out
official job title was Representative an operation later called Operation
of the Near East Air Transport Michaelberg.
Company, an American charter
company in reality owned by the “Operation Michaelberg, or
Jewish Agency in Palestine. Operation Wing, is a clandestine
operation for illegal immigration
The Agency was previously used by airlifting. Members of what
to transport Yemeni Jews to Israel. was called Le Aliyah Bet, which
Hillel offered his company service later formed the core of the
‫ דוד נמרי‬David Nameri
to the Iraqi government, and Mossad through the purchase
18
Issues of the Edition

‫המבצע נקרא על שמם של שני הטייסים‬


‫ מייקל‬:‫האמריקאים שהטיסו את המטוס‬
.‫וסנברג‬-‫ו‬
The operation was named after
the two pilots who carried it out:
Michael and Lew Vessenberg.

When the 1948 war broke out, the


Israeli authorities began talks about
ways to increase illegal immigration
to Israel and force the Jews to travel
to Israel, especially the Jews in Arab
countries. Here, Hillel proposed the
infiltration of the East, Iraq, and
Iran, hoping that, there, they could
be handed to Israel.

Hillel travelled to Tehran with a


forged passport carrying the name
Morris Perez (‫) מוריס פרז‬. For over ‫ הזהה לזה שהעלה את העולים מעיראק במסגרת‬,‫ בשירות חיל האוויר האמריקני‬C-46 ‫מטוס קרטיס קומנדו‬
a year, he worked as coordinator ”‫“מבצע מייקלברג‬
for the smuggling operations, A Curtiss C-46 Commando, which served in the United States Army Air Forces and was
used in Operation Michaelberg
and through perseverance and
resourcefulness, he was able to get
this idea into execution. Indeed, the
number of illegal immigrants from
Iraq increased.
The Iraqi authorities’ attempts to
stop the illegal immigration failed.
By the end, it finally allowed the
Jews to legally emigrate, provided
that they renounce their citizenship.

‫מבצע עזרא ונחמיה‬


Operation Ezra and Nehemiah
18th May 1950

In 1950, Shlomo Hillel returned


to Baghdad with a new fake
identity as Richard Armstrong
(‫)ריצ’ארד ארמסטרונג‬, an executive .‫ שירדו מהמטוס בשדות יבניאל‬,‫שלמה הלל עם העולים הראשונים מעיראק שהיו חלק ממבצע מיקלברג‬
for the American airline Near East 1947 ,‫ אוגוסט‬:‫תאריך‬
Shlomo Hillel with the first immigrants from Iraq through illegal immigration, as part
Transport Company (‫איסט איר‬-‫ניר‬ of operation Michaelberg, and in the picture the arrival of immigrants at Yavne’el
‫)טרנספורט‬, in order to negotiate airport in August 1947 is shown.
with the Iraqi government and
its Prime Minister, Tawfiq Al- Details of the nature of this role in the criminal operations
Suwaidi to execute Operation Ezra operation are documented in the which were called “Operation Ezra
and Nehemiah, which aims for the book “Operation Babylon: The and Nehemiah,” the names taken
exodus of Jews from Iraq. It was Story of the Rescue of the Jews of from the Hebrew Bible. He wrote
later named the “largest airlifting Iraq” by the Mossad agent Shlomo that he moved between Palestine
operation in history.” Hillel, who wrote about his main and Iraq sometimes via an aircraft,
19
1950 :‫ תאריך‬.‫ שם בדוי‬,”‫ויזה טורקית של שלמה הלל על שם “ריצ’ארד ארמסטרונג‬
The forged Turkish visa for Shlomo Hillel, under the name Richard Armstrong, dating 1950

”‫ המודיע על כינוס הודיה עם סיום מבצע “עזרא ונחמיה‬,”‫כרוז מטעם “הסתדרות הפועל המזרחי‬
Announcement by the Eastern Executive Union declaring the end of Operation Ezra and Nehemiah
20
Issues of the Edition

1949 :‫ תאריך‬.‫שלמה הלל והחברים חוגגים בטהרן את הצלחת המבצע של הברחת יהודים מעיראק לאירן ומשם לארץ‬
Shlomo Hillel and friends celebrating the operation in Tehran of smuggling Jews from Iraq to Iran and then to
Israel. Date: 1949

1949 :‫ תאריך‬.‫ בהנהלת שלמה הלל‬,‫רכב המוסד לעליה ב’ בטהרן בכניסה לבית הקברות היהודי במסגרת המבצע להברחת יהודים לארץ‬
Mossad car in Tehran at the entrance of the Jewish cemetery during the smuggling operation of Jews to Israel, and
Shlomo Hillel administration. Date: 1949
21
1949 ,‫ פברואר‬:‫ תאריך‬.‫שלמה הלל והבורחים מעיראק לאירן בדרכם לארץ בשלג בבית הקברות היהודי הישן בטהרן‬
Shlomo Hillel and escapers from Iraq to Iran, on their way to Israel in the snow in the old Jewish cemetery in Tehran. Date: 1949

1949 ,‫ פברואר‬:‫ תאריך‬.‫שלמה הלל והבורחים מעיראק לאירן בדרכם לארץ בשלג בבית הקברות היהודי הישן בטהרן‬
Forged Persian ID card for Shlomo Hillel, carrying the name Ahmed Ismail. Date: 1951
22
Issues of the Edition

1951 :‫ תאריך‬.‫כריכה של תעודת זהות פרסית של שלמה הלל‬


Persian personal card for Shlomo Hillel. Date: 1951

other times overland, wearing the from Tehran to Palestine. and later its president (1971-
Arab traditional cloths (the gown 1974) Mir Basri estimated that the
and the Agal), between Palestine, Zionist agent, Shlomo Hillel worked number of Jews who remained in
Iraq, Turkey, and Iran, to execute in Baghdad in 1947, 1948, and Iraq following the mass emigration
his criminal operations which were 1950, and in Tehran in 1949, where was approximately 10,000 Jews,
assigned to him by the Zionist he worked in organizing the exodus and that the majority of them
Mossad. Meanwhile, an intelligence of Jews in coordination with some were former senior government
base for the Mossad was founded agents in south, middle and north of employees, property owners, senior
in Baghdad carrying three nominal Iraq, especially Barzani organization traders, company and project owners
names: Dekel, Auren and Beirman. which was a spy to the Zionists since who partnered with Muslims and
the establishment of the Zionist Christians.
In Tehran, on the other hand, the entity to this day.
largest and the main base existed, At the end of our cause, we would
carrying another three nominal Within the framework of Operation like to respond to Israel’s Minister
names: Coldman, Nouri, and Ezra and Nehemiah, from 1950 of Education Naftali Bennett and
Aloun. These names were used to 1952, 105,000 Jew emigrants tell him that if the aim of the annual
in the wireless code between were transported to Israel, after celebration commemorating the
Baghdad, Tehran, and Tel Aviv. the relinquishment of their Iraqi exodus and emigration of Jews
Zionist cells first transported Jews citizenship. from Arab States with the aim
to Abadan, Khorramshahr, Dezful, of consolidating the identity of
Kermanshah, and Tehran, and then The number of Jews who stayed in oriental Jews and their history in
overland to Turkey and to Palestine. Iraq was 12,000 Jews. However, the education programme in Israel,
Sometimes they used direct airlifting leader of the Jewish Community as he claims, it suffices to mention
23
‫שלמה הלל וחבריו בבגדד בשליחות מטעם המוסד לעליה ב’ להביאת‬
1946 :‫תאריך‬.‫יהודי עיראק לארץ‬
Shlomo Hillel, Mordechai Ben-Porat and their friends
1947 :‫ תאריך‬.‫ בבצרה‬,‫שלמה הלל עם חברים מהתנועה הציונית בעיראק‬
were the adventurous young leaders responsible for carry-
Shlomo Hillel with the Zionist movement members in Basra,
ing out Operation Ezra and Nehemiah and forced immi-
Iraq. Date: 1947
gration for the Jews of Iraq and the Baghdad bombings.

words from the poem “Why Do not ‫נֹורא‬


ָ ‫עַל ִכּּבּוׁש‬ your wrongs. So here is a lead:
I Write Israeli Love Songs” by the ‫ ִמ ַבּעַד‬,‫אֲ נִי אֲ ַח ֶכּה ְבּצַד ַבּנְק יִשְ ָׂראֵ ל‬ I want compensation from the
Israeli poet Mati Shemoelof. ‫ַלחַּלֹונֹות ִבּּטּו ַח לְאֻ ִמּי‬ National Bank of Israel
‫ִמתַ ּחַת ִל ְמכֹונִּיֹות ִמשְ ַׂרד הָאֹוצָר‬ For the Palestinians, the
‫למה אני לא כותב שירי אהבה ישראליים‬ ‫עַד שֶ ׁתִ ּתְ ּנּו ִפּּצּוי ָראּוי עַל ָכּל ַה ִגּזְעָנּות‬ Mizrachim, the Women, the Gays
‫מתי שמואלוף‬ ‫ַה ְצּרּופָה‬ and the Lesbians
‫ְטֹוריָה‬
ְ ‫ק ֹדֶ ם תַ ּ ְחזִירּו לִי אֶ ת ַההִיס‬ ‫מ ֻפ ִצּים יִ ְל ְמדּו‬
ּ ְ ‫ו ְַרק ָאז ְכּשֶ ׁ ּיַלְדֵ י יְלָדַ י ַה‬ For every comment, transit-camp,
‫וְַאחַר ָכְּך אֶ ת ִספ ְֵרי ַה ִלּּמּוד‬ ‫ָבּאּונִיב ְֶרסִיטָ ה ְ ּב ֶחב ְָרה שָ ׁוָה‬ closed military zone,
‫וְַאל תַ ּ ִגּידּו לִי שֶ ׁהַשִ ּׁיר שֶ ׁ ִלּי הּוא ָמנִי ֶפסְט‬ ‫ׁירי‬
ֵ ִ‫ ַרק ָאז אֶ ְהיֶה מּוכָן ִלכְת ֹּב ש‬,‫לְֹלא ִבּּזּוי‬ Disappearance, disfigurement.
‫ּפֹולִיטִ י‬ ‫ַא ֲהבָה‬ I want you to open the poetry safe
‫ ָאז ִהנֵּה ְקצֵה‬,‫ְכּשֶ ׁאֵ ין ָלכֶם ֻמשָ ּׂג עַל ָעוֶל‬ ‫יִשְ ְׂראֵ ִליִּים‬ And give back the land to those
‫חּוט‬ Mati Shemoelof “Why Do not I you took from
‫אֲ נִי רֹוצֶה ִפּּצּוי ִמ ַבּנְק יִשְ ָׂראֵ ל‬ Write Israeli Love Songs?” And compensate for a horrible
‫ עַל ָכּל‬,‫ ַלנָּשִ ׁים‬,‫ ַל ִמּז ְָרחִים‬,‫ַל ָפ ַלסְטִ ינִים‬ First bring me back my history occupation
,‫ ַה ֲע ָל ָמה‬,‫ שֶ ׁטַ ח ְצבָאִ י סָגּור‬,‫ ַמ ְע ָב ָּרה‬,‫ֶהע ָָרה‬ And then my textbooks I will wait by the national bank of
‫הַשְ ׁחָתָ ה‬ And do not tell me my poem is a Israel,
‫ׁירה‬ָ ּ ִ‫אֲ נִי רֹוצֶה שֶ ׁתִ ּפְתְ ּחּו אֶ ת ַה ַכּ ֶ ּספֶת שֶ ׁל הַש‬ political manifesto Outside the window of the
‫וְתַ ְחזִירּו אֲ דָ מֹות ְל ִמי שֶ ׁ ְ ּל ַקחְתֶ ּם ּותְ נּו ִפּּצּוי‬ When you have not got a clue ‘bout National Insurance Institute,
24
Issues of the Edition

1948 ,‫ דצמבר‬:‫ תאריך‬.‫שלמה הלל וחבריו בחולום שאהר מחכים למשלוח מכשיר הקשר שהגיע בהברחה מבגדד לאירן‬
Shlomo Hillel and his friends waiting for a smuggled shipment from Baghdad to Iran. Date: November 1948

Under the cars of the treasury


Department
Until you aptly compensate for all
the distilled racism
And only then, when the children
of children of the compensated
ones
Will study in university, in an
equal society
Only then will I be willing to write
Israeli love songs.

Finally, if there were ‘Jew refugees’


from Arab states, the solution is
simple; legally, historically, and
‫מתי שמואלוף‬ humanistically, a refugee returns
Mati Shemoelof is an Israeli poet from Haifa. He was born in 1972. His father is of to his land, as we have known him
Iraqi origins. His poetry carries a sharp political nature against the State of Israel and
from the beginning of our cause.
its policies toward Palestinians and oriental Jews. He received an MA from Tel Aviv
University and studies PhD in University of Haifa. He was the chief editor of HaKivun
Mizrah, a journal concerned with the affairs of the Eastern and redefining the oriental So, let the oriental Jews return
Jewish identity. In 2003, he directed the show “Who Was Born to Celebrate Memorial to their Arab countries, and the
Day.” He has a poetry collection entitled “Scar Minimizer,” published in 2001, and a Palestinian refugees return to their
poem entitled “Poetry Between Hazaz and Shemoelof,” published in 2006.
home, Palestine.
25

You might also like