WRITTEN BY IQBAL TAMIMI
Since the first minute the Zionists arrived in Palestine during the first half of the 1900s their policy was clear, it was to empty the land of its indigenous people and house immigrant Jews in their place. Almost 6 million Palestinians are now scattered all over the world as refugees since then, and hundreds of thousands were massacred and housed under the soil for resisting to abandon their home land.
The Telegraph published an article 5 Feb 2009 by Damien McElroy titled Britain offers to accept Palestinians who fled Iraq (30 widows with children!)
The article is about efforts to resettle Palestinians who have been forced into squalid desert refugee camps on the Iraqi border in the hardest conditions including facing hazards of fires and floods that have claimed many lives such as the story of Ahmed Mohammad who lost his pregnant wife when a fire engulfed his tent last month. “The fire took seconds to burn and I could only rescue my son.” said Ahmad. There are more than 800,000 Palestinian refugees still living in Syria and 224,000 are registered with the UN as refugees.
many Palestinians were never granted citizenship in the countries they fled to, they and their offspring are scattered now all over the world from Europe to Chile. Governments like that of the UK have a moral obligation towards those Palestinian refugees for two reasons: the first is due to the British government’s role and policies since the Balfour Declaration which was a direct contributor to the Palestinians’ misery, and the second is its role in the Iraqi war that ended up with forcing the refugee Palestinians of Iraq to become refugees again. But still a solution like accepting 30 widows is not going to be the perfect solution. These Palestinian widows from the Tanf refugee camp in the desert must be grateful for this kind gesture, but this action solves the problem of 30 widows only, thus discriminating against male refugees who are as much victims as women. Men like 81-year-old Mahmoud Abdul who fled Haifa in 1948 from Palestine to Baghdad, then Amman, Damascus and now again he is with many other Palestinian refugees are in the no-man’s land holding tight to one dream only, they want to be citizens where they can set up homes and feel no one can take that home away from them. Saving the lives of 30 widows is a drop in the ocean regarding solving the problem of 6 million refugees. And we should not brag about accepting to rescue 30 widows after causing 6 million people become exiled and refugees.
Solving the problem of 30 widows or ‘spearheading’ this attempt as the Telegraph has called it, is not good enough, year after year Israel has been forcing more Palestinians to become refugees by enforcing different methods of pressure and expulsion. Even though Palestinians are grateful for such generous gestures they would rather be home in their own properties, taking care of their lands and feeling dignified instead of feeling like a heavy guest.
The new effort to resettle Palestinian refugees outside Palestine is another attempt to patch another hole Israel punctured while being sure that other countries should find a way to mend. Since 1948 Israel has been expelling Palestinians from their country, thus entering the circle of displacement over and over again. The only suggestion Israel keeps coming with is why don’t other Arab countries accommodate them? This is the most ridiculous statement made to escape the blame and dumb problems created by its policies of expanding occupation on other people’s steps. Israel’s continuous suggestions that the Palestinians should be absorbed by other Arab speaking countries is the most ridiculous statement ever, sharing a language does not in any way give a valid reason to accept such responsibility, it would be like a great mixture of people invading Australia because their God told them Australia will always be theirs regardless of where they came from or when they embraced that religion, and then demanding the UK to take the Australian refugees in because they speak English.
The Telegraph was fishing in muddy waters when it said in its report “After turning a blind eye for years, Syria feels it has done enough. There has to be a resettlement solution that allows these people to resettle in a third country.” Why should Syria or any other Arab country solve a problem created by Israel with the blessing of USA and UK? Syria itself is suffering the Israeli aggression and occupation of its Golan Heights and the stealing of its water resources by Israel.
Israel is still refusing to declare its borders, and was and still is expanding illegally on Palestinian land, Israel is still turning a blind eye to the international community and a long list of UN resolutions demanding its withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories and to stop building more settlements on Palestinian land, Israel is still stealing the resources and lands and properties in the Occupied Territories and still gets away with it. The media shows every day Israel being defended by the USA and UK governments, and shows the friendly visits of top politicians visiting Israel on the Palestinian occupied land, yet emphasising Israel’s RIGHTS to live in peace, what a load of ridiculous heap of pathetic policies, they are visiting an occupied territory and yet demanding safety of the occupier not the victims. But one knows well that such visits are not returned back because most Israeli politicians are wanted for war crimes, and the people in the USA and UK have a different stand from that of their government and sympathise with the oppressed Palestinians. Should any Israeli official gamble with his life and visit the UK I am sure he will be executed by being stoned by hales of shoes by the citizens who showed great support and sympathy to the misery of Gaza people.
Should the UK not do something regarding Israel’s continuous policy of forcing Palestinians to exile, one day it will find itself facing the moral obligation of not only taking the 13,000 Palestinians who fled to Syria with faked Iraqi identities but much more than this figure. The UK and other European countries have to bear in mind that if Israel was not stopped by international collective effort, those countries will be forced to clean Israel’s mess, and pass this inheritance to the coming generations.
We Write What We Like 
Arab refugee problem was created by the seven Arab countries that attacked Israel in 1948. Arab refugees were intentionally not integrated into the Arab lands to which they fled, despite the fact total territory of Arab countries is about 700 times greater than that of Israel. Out of about 100,000,000 refugees since World War II, theirs is the only refugee group in the world that has not been absorbed into their own peoples’ lands. Arab nations still maintain generations of the descendants of the refugees in so called “refugee camps” under squalid conditions with the hope that someday they will dislodge the Jews in Israel. The money spent by the Arab countries on armaments would be sufficient to build houses for all so called “refugees”. Arab countries should be encouraged to care for their poor population instead of spending their richest resources in the world on armaments and development of terrorist groups such as Osama Bin Laden from Saudi Arabia.
Since 1948, after three generations the descendants of the Arab refugees are still called “refugees” and are supported by UN “refugee” funds! With the highest birth rate in Arab countries this population has now grown to about four million. In negotiations, Arab leadership requests the “right of return” of this mass of millions into the tiny land of Israel. The settlement of millions of Arabs in Israel would immediately eliminate Israel as a Jewish state. This is the real aim of the Arab countries, to achieve by supposedly “peaceful” means what they could not achieve by unceasing violence in whole scale wars and daily terrorism.
The responsibility for keeping the Arab population who are descendants of the Arab refugees, rests only on the shoulders of the Arab countries that created the problem by attacking Israel in 1948.
James
Arab countries did not attack Israel in 1948. A bunch of total strangers, a group of immigrant Jews who came to Palestine turned to be a group of hooligans, they started to burn villages and massacre people. The Palestinians had no arms at all, they were not like the Jewish terrorists who were armed and trained. Some Arab countries tried to help the Palestinians because it was a human crisis, and Palestine was a neighbour. Britain did not interfere in protecting the Palestinians who had no knowledge of how to react to armed gangsters.
Your comment is an attempt to create an illusion that 1948 there was a state like every other state and Arabs attacked that state, you skipped a big chunk of the truth that the Palestinian land was taken by force then, and the Palestinians were terrorised and massacred. There should have been NO Palestinian refugees at all, Israel created this international problem by its greed, it did not even stop there, it kept killing and stealing and occupying other parts of Palestine, creating yet more refugees after the occupation of 1967. Israel still would not define its borders, the only country in the world without defined borders to allow for more annexation of the lands.
Arab refugees should not beintegrated into the Arab lands as you proposed, for a very simple reason which it is other Arab countries are not their land; try to understand a simple fact dear, that speaking the same language does not make you one nation. Spain is something and any Latin American country is something else…got it??
Even if the total territory of Arab countries is not only 700 times greater than that of Israel, if it was 7 Zillion times the size of Israel, nether the Arab countries should be forced to clear the mess created by Israel, nor the Palestinians want a substitute to their home land.
If you are as you sound to be very caring person since you seem to know that refugees are living under squalid conditions why don’t be a good lad and call for their return to their homes instead.
Regarding the money you claim spent by the Arab countries on armaments, can you please tell me what are you babbling about? Israel is the 4th strongest armed country in the world including that posses atomic bombs since many years.. I advise you to start reading…and just to refresh your memory read something about
U.S. Financial Aid To Israel
Benefits to Israel of U.S. Aid
Since 1949 (As of November 1, 1997)
Foreign Aid Grants and Loans
$74,157,600,000
Other U.S. Aid (12.2% of Foreign Aid)
$9,047,227,200
Interest to Israel from Advanced Payments
$1,650,000,000
Grand Total
$84,854,827,200
Total Benefits per Israeli
$14,630
http://www.wrmea.com/html/us_aid_to_israel.htm
since the mid-1980s total annual economic and military aid from USA to Israel has averaged $3 billion-$3.5 billion, with aid in the last half century totalling $81.3 billion in real terms, far more than to any other country.
http://www.bits.de/public/briefingnote/bn02-3.htm
Cost to U.S. Taxpayers of U.S.
Aid to Israel
Grand Total
$84,854,827,200
Interest Costs Borne by U.S.
$49,936,680,000
Total Cost to U.S. Taxpayers
$134,791,507,200
Total Taxpayer Cost per Israeli
$23,240
Why should Arab countries be encouraged to care for the Palestinians, they are NOT ‘their poor population’ as you called them , besides the Arabs are free how to spend their money, you have no right to tell others how to run their countries, or have you believe that you are God’s chosen and this is part of the deal. Do not play the Zionists games of trying to detour the argument by talking about Arabs of other countries, we are talking here about the Palestinian refugees, a plight created by Israel, such attempt is exposed.
Regarding your comment and I quote you ‘Since 1948, after three generations the descendants of the Arab refugees are still called “refugees”. Yes Sir, as long as we are not backing home in our country Palestine we are refugees, and no one can give us any other fancy name.
You have the nerve to talk about UN support … if the Zionists did not steal our lands and homes and resources we would not have been in need of UN “refugee” funds or charity. The funny thing is the thief is requesting of the victim to hide its shame, and attempt in every possible way to dissolve his crime by proposal s of ‘integrating’ to other societies. I can assure you that there is no place like home, and Palestine is the only place we integrate in weather you like it or not.
Do not worry yourself how ‘ this mass of millions’ as you described them that they can fit into ‘the tiny land of Israel’ … I would tell you the land that has been able to accommodate total strangers from Russia, Europe, Ethiopia, USA, UK, and the land of Oz because they claimed they are Jewish, we can do the same, do not worry about us..we will manage.
Regarding your fears that ‘The settlement of millions of Arabs (Palestinians owners of the land) in Israel (Palestine their home land from which they were expelled) would immediately eliminate Israel as a Jewish state’…. Well…if Israel was a fair democratic state with no records of war crimes and massacres; it would have nothing to worry about.
You are the one who is babbling Your attempt to alter history is as inane as Amadinejads attempt to have people believe that the holocaust never happened. I have found that you arabs are great liars when it comes to propaganda. The reason the Arab nations didn’t eliminate Israel in 1948, is because Israel attacked instead of fighting defensively. Your countries counted on Israel digging in and they surprised you. And the Arab countries lost a lot of territory. This bullshit about the arabs not knowing how to fight would be more believable if history was not available . The French Foreign Legeon could testify to the capabilities of the Arab fighters. Iraq is another demonstration of arab fighting . So is Afganistan.The Shiites against the Sunnis. Whoever taught you your history did you a disservice to you by keeping you ineducated. Hamas’ leaders will keep you poor and insecure because of all the lies they are teaching your people. You yourself are probably a large part of the reason you are in the situation you find yourselves in. The palestinian people are slaves to the radical leadership who’s only deire is that of power. They keep demonstrating their intentions every singlee day of he year, and you are sheep who bang their heads against a wall built by yourselves. Wake up.
@Bob Towsley –
To Bob Towsley
RE: (You are the one who is babbling Your attempt to alter history is as inane as Amadinejads attempt to have people believe that the holocaust never happened)
– Thank you for your comment, you have provided me with a perfect example of a Zionist approach of handling truth when feeling threatened or short of ammunition of answers to explain Israel’s aggression. First you lose your patience to dig for a polite way to communicate feeling that you have ran out of expressions, then you accuse whoever opposes your inhumane racist polices by accusing them of being insane, after that you run to your first line defence of squeezing in Iran in the discussion even though it is not an Arab country because mainstream media made a monster out of this country, and created a wave of hatred against it for standing tall and never bowing under pressure. Hence bringing Iran to any matter is supposed to win you the fight without stirring any dust.
Re: ( I have found that you arabs are great liars when it comes to propaganda)
– Thank you, but one can’t strip you from such honour, unfortunately Arabs are not doing well in this field, but we are willing to learn with your help and dedication.
RE: ( The reason the Arab nations didn’t eliminate Israel in 1948, is because Israel attacked instead of fighting defensively)
– Halleluiah…at last some Zionist slipped and told the truth, up till this minuet they were claiming that Arab neighbours attacked the defenceless army of Israel.
RE: (And the Arab countries lost a lot of territory)
– This is called theft, aggression, occupation…but what would you know about being decent and telling the whole truth.
RE: ( This bullshit )
– Thank you for explaining to me where the bad smell is coming from since I started reading your comment. Can’t you get a course about manners and decent communication with others, if this is a sample of what one will get should he think of negotiating peace with you…well…God help us all, we should order protective gas masks as soon as possible.
Re: (about the arabs not knowing how to fight would be more believable if history was not available . The French Foreign Legeon could testify to the capabilities of the Arab fighters. Iraq is another demonstration of arab fighting . So is Afganistan.)
– You are right, Arabs never knew how to fight others because they are peaceful people, and any fight in any Arab country is of USA and Israel ‘s creation and an outcome of aggression and opression, everybody knows that Iraqi Sonnies and Sheeat lived for hundreds of years in Iraq without shedding one drop of blood, unlike the case since the USA lead invasion on Iraq. Besides Afghanistan is not an Arab country, I see you need two courses, one of manners and another for geography.
RE: (The Shiites against the Sunnis. Whoever taught you your history did you a disservice to you by keeping you ineducated.)
– How adorable, you are worried about our education.
RE:( Hamas’ leaders will keep you poor and insecure because of all the lies they are teaching your people.)
– I can see the pattern now, first Iran, and then Afghanistan, and now its Hamas’s turn in the discussion. Hamas was born very late in the 80s long after we became poor after Israel destroyed our homes and businesses and stole our land. Regarding being insecure, I regret to disappoint you because the Palestinian were never as secure as much as they are now. Hamas has no leaders accused of BRIBERY and SEXUAL ASSAULT. Besides the Palestinian people elected Hamas, so…why are you worried about our poverty and insecurity, if you want to donate some money to improve the conditions of people under Hamas rule thus liberate them after you wrecked their homes I will offer you the email of International charity campaigns and you can donate some money, at least you will participate in the expenses of treating the children who were burned by Israel’s white phosphorus.
RE: ( You yourself are probably a large part of the reason you are in the situation you find yourselves in)
– Can you explain what situation you are talking about? Do you mean living in tents after being evacuated from our homes by people who just arrived from Russia? Do you mean being in prisons without standing a trial? Do you mean starved to death while you are cultivating our lands and stealing our waters? Or you might mean having to whisper to our families from behind a big wall standing as a clear example of miscarriage of justice.
RE: (The palestinian people are slaves to the radical leadership who’s only deire is that of power).
– Radical? What about your radical thugs and gangsters, Palestine has no radicals, it has believers in their rights to live in their own homes in peace, those are called freedom fighters. Why don’t you show your kindness and release us from the bonds of slavery of those radicals, do some good, lure us to believe that your showers of dime bombs and white phosphorus were only meant to give us a free shower.