1948 Arab-Israel War
On Nov 29, 1947, UN voted to partition Palestine into 2 states, Jewish and Arab. Follow events as they happen leading up to and during the 1948 Arab Israel war, 1947-49.
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June4
Rabbi Maurice A. Jaffe, senior Jewish chaplain to the British Forces in Europe, responds to allegations Jewish fighters occupied and desecrated Christian holy places.
By Andrew BoyleWhen I confronted him on Tuesday with the Latin Patriarchate’s list of “Holy Places” in the Old City of Jerusalem, alleged to have been used by the Jewish forces as targets or strong points in their last-ditch defensive battle, Rabbi Maurice A. Jaffe, ex-Senior Jewish Chaplain to the Forces, was completely unabashed.“ To my mind, that is less than half the story,” he told me. “No mention at all is made of the destruction by the Arabs of all the Jewish holy places, except the Wailing Wall.”"Nor have I yet seen elsewhere,” he added, “any reference to the demolition after the surrender of the historic Hurva Synagogue which the Arabs had captured intact. I can only conclude that the list has been drawn up by Christians whose sympathies are pro-Arab and anti-Zionist.”
Catholic Herald, 4 June 1948
June3
Modi Alon in S-199 spots two Egyptian Spitfires escorting two C-47’s on Tel Aviv bombing run; both bombers shot down [3 Jun 48]
May30
U N I T E D N A T I O N S
Security Council
Security Council
Distr.
UNRESTRICTED
S/801
29 May 1948
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
UNRESTRICTED
S/801
29 May 1948
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
RESOLUTION ON THE PALESTINE QUESTION ADOPTED AT THE
THREE HUNDRED AND TENTH MEETING OF
THE SECURITY COUNCIL, 29 MAY 1948
Desiring to bring about a cessation of hostilities in Palestine without prejudice to the rights, claims and position of either Arabs or Jews,
Calls upon all Governments and authorities concerned to order a cessation of all acts of armed force for a period of four weeks,
Calls upon all Government and authorities concerned to undertake that they will not introduce fighting personnel into Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Transjordan and Yemen during the cease fire and
Calls upon all Government and authorities concerned, should men of military age be introduced into countries or territories under their control, to undertake not to mobilize submit them to military training during the cease fire,
Calls upon all Governments and authorities concerned to refrain from importing or exporting war material into or to Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Transjordan and Yemen during the cease fire,
Urges all Governments and authorities concerned to take every possible precaution for the protection of the Holy Places and of the City of Jerusalem, including access to all shrines and sanctuaries for the purpose of worship by those who have an established right to visit and worship at them,
Instructs the United Nations Mediator for Palestine in concert with the Truce Commission to supervise the observance of the above provisions and decides that they shall be provided with a sufficient number of military observers.
Instructs the United Nations Mediator to make contact with all parties as soon as the cease fire is in force with a view to carrying out his functions as determined by the General Assembly.
Calls upon all concerned to give the greatest possible assistance to the United Nations Mediator,
Instructs the United Nations Mediator to make a weekly report to the Security Council during the cease fire,
Invites the States Members of the Arab League and the Jewish and Arab authorities in Palestine to communicate their acceptance of this resolution to the Security Council not later than 3.00 p.m. New York Standard Time on 1 June 1948,
Decides that if the present resolution is rejected by either party or by both, or if, having been accepted, it is subsequently repudiated or violated, the situation in Palestine will be reconsidered with a a view to action under Chapter VII of the Charter.
Calls upon all Governments and authorities concerned to order a cessation of all acts of armed force for a period of four weeks,
Calls upon all Government and authorities concerned to undertake that they will not introduce fighting personnel into Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Transjordan and Yemen during the cease fire and
Calls upon all Government and authorities concerned, should men of military age be introduced into countries or territories under their control, to undertake not to mobilize submit them to military training during the cease fire,
Calls upon all Governments and authorities concerned to refrain from importing or exporting war material into or to Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Transjordan and Yemen during the cease fire,
Urges all Governments and authorities concerned to take every possible precaution for the protection of the Holy Places and of the City of Jerusalem, including access to all shrines and sanctuaries for the purpose of worship by those who have an established right to visit and worship at them,
Instructs the United Nations Mediator for Palestine in concert with the Truce Commission to supervise the observance of the above provisions and decides that they shall be provided with a sufficient number of military observers.
Instructs the United Nations Mediator to make contact with all parties as soon as the cease fire is in force with a view to carrying out his functions as determined by the General Assembly.
Calls upon all concerned to give the greatest possible assistance to the United Nations Mediator,
Instructs the United Nations Mediator to make a weekly report to the Security Council during the cease fire,
Invites the States Members of the Arab League and the Jewish and Arab authorities in Palestine to communicate their acceptance of this resolution to the Security Council not later than 3.00 p.m. New York Standard Time on 1 June 1948,
Decides that if the present resolution is rejected by either party or by both, or if, having been accepted, it is subsequently repudiated or violated, the situation in Palestine will be reconsidered with a a view to action under Chapter VII of the Charter.
May29
Jewish Quarter, Old City Jerusalem, before and after, 29 May 1948
Photos by John Phillips, Life Magazine.
May28
During the 1948 war, while the Old City of Jerusalem was still under British control, the residents of the Jewish Quarter had many opportunities to flee and relocate. Most of the residents, nearly all religious Jews who had been living in the city for multiple generations, decided to stay as long as possible. Without electricity, and low on food and water, the situation for the residents in the Old City was dire.
The Jewish Quarter had been under attack for two weeks and the Haganah troops were nearly depleted of ammunition. With 300 soldiers dead, most of the remaining fighters were injured but insisting on staying at their posts. The Jewish residents had spent the day before surrender, Lag B'Omer, praying for reinforcements. All attempts to stop the Arab Legion had failed, and with fighting now raging along a 20-mile front between Latrun and Ramallah, reinforcements were unavailable.
On Thursday, May 27, 1948 the Arab Legion gained control of the main street of the Jewish Quarter. Anticipating the arrival of King Abdullah, they immediately destroyed the Hurva Synagogue. By Friday morning, only a few synagogues and a yeshiva were still under Jewish control. Despite many civilians being killed, the garrison refused to give up. At the same time, the Jordanians were now refusing to allow civilians - who had taken refuge in the synagogues - to leave. The Jordanians were demanding a complete surrender.
In the meantime, the International Red Cross had been trying to convince the Arab Legion to allow women and children to leave. The Legion demanded a complete surrender of the Jews, and refused requests to allow any civilians to leave. Seeing no other alternative, Rabbi Reuven Hazan and Rabbi Israel Mitzberg attempted to negotiate a surrender. Putting themselves in the line of fire, they were shot at a by members of the Haganah and forced back. Despite their efforts, the situation was hopeless. The Rabbis went back out to the streets half an hour later, carrying white flags, but this time were shot at by the Jordanians, who were only meters away from the Jewish positions.
“At 11:00am on Friday, Rabbis Reuven Hazan, 70, and Israel Mintzberg, 83, walked from one of the Jewish positions toward the Arab lines. They carried a white flag made out of a bit of once-festive tablecloth tacked to a stick. Although he was shot and wounded by a sniper, Rabbi Hazan called out in Arabic, ‘Good morning. We have come to talk to you, and we want to see your commander.’" Rabbi Mitzberg was held hostage by the Legion, while Rabbi Hazan went to get the Haganah representative to negotiate the terms of the surrender. After two weeks of fighting in the Old City, which saw hundreds of civilians killed or wounded, the Jewish garrison accepted the terms of surrender from the Arab Legion.
That Friday afternoon, 290 men - mostly civilians - were taken prisoner. 1,200 women, children and elderly were evacuated outside the walls of the Old City, with the assistance of the U.N. and the Red Cross. The evacuation through the Zion gate began Friday evening and lasted until 2am Saturday. The soldiers and civilian men who were captured during the surrender were returned to the fledgling state of Israel several months later, in exchange for Jordanian prisoners.
Sources: Palestine Post, May 30, 1948, Genesis 1948, Kurtzman, O Jerusalem, Collins & Lapierre, Al-Tell, Abdullah, Karithat Falastin: Muthakkarat Abdullah Al-Tell (The Palestine Tragedy: Memoirs of Abdullah al-Tell) Cairo, 1959
May22
FOLLOWING FOR YOUR INFORMATION IS THE REPORT JUST RECEIVED FROM THE AMERICAN CONSUL IN JERUSALEM REGARDING THE SHOOTING OF THOMAS C. WASSON US CONSUL GENERAL AND US REPRESENTATIVE ON THE SECURITY COUNCIL TRUCE COMMISSION:
QUOTE WASSON LEFT ON FOOT FROM CONGEN THIS MORNING ABOUT 12 NOON LOCAL TO ATTEND MEETING TRUCE COMMISSION, WHICH WAS HELD AS USUAL AT FRENCH CONGEN. HE LEFT FRENCH CONGEN, STILL ON FOOT, SHORTLY AFTER 1300 HOURS LOCAL. AS HE CROSSED WAUCHOPE STREET TO ALLEY ALONG WEST SIDE CONGEN, HE WAS HIT BY SNIPERS BULLET PRESUMED TO HAVE COME FROM DIRECTION JUNCTION JULIAN’S WAY AND WAUCHOPE STREET. IDENTITY OF SNIPER CAN NOT BE ESTABLISHED. HE WAS CARRIED BY MEMBERS CONGEN TO FIRST AID ROOM AT CONGEN, WHERE HE WAS IMMEDIATELY ATTENDED BY PUBLIC HEALTH SURGEON.L ARMORED AMBULANCE CAME WITHIN TEN MINUTES FROM RED SHIELD SOCIETY AND WASSON WAS TAKEN TO HADASSAH ENGLISH MISSION HOSPITAL, WHERE ACTING DIRECTOR HADASSAH HAS ASSURED US EVERY FACILITY, INCLUDING PRIVATE ROOM AND NURSE WILL BE PLACED AT HIS DISPOSAL.
ACCORDING TO DOCTOR’S REPORT, 30 CALIBRE RIFLE BULLET ENTERED RIGHT UPPER ARM, PASSED THROUGH CHEST, AND EXITED AT LEVEL LEFT SECOND COSTAL CARTILAGE. WOUND IN RIGHT ARM EXCISED AND EXIT WOUND EXCISED, EXPLORED AND CLOSED. IS NOW OUT OF SHOCK AND RESTING QUIETLY. CONDITION GOOD, AND BARRING COMPLICATIONS, HAS MORE THAN EVEN CHANCE RECOVER. UNQUOTE
US Consul-General shot, May 22, 1948
TELEGRAM DATED 22 MAY 1948 FROM THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNITED STATES ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL
FOLLOWING FOR YOUR INFORMATION IS THE REPORT JUST RECEIVED FROM THE AMERICAN CONSUL IN JERUSALEM REGARDING THE SHOOTING OF THOMAS C. WASSON US CONSUL GENERAL AND US REPRESENTATIVE ON THE SECURITY COUNCIL TRUCE COMMISSION:
QUOTE WASSON LEFT ON FOOT FROM CONGEN THIS MORNING ABOUT 12 NOON LOCAL TO ATTEND MEETING TRUCE COMMISSION, WHICH WAS HELD AS USUAL AT FRENCH CONGEN. HE LEFT FRENCH CONGEN, STILL ON FOOT, SHORTLY AFTER 1300 HOURS LOCAL. AS HE CROSSED WAUCHOPE STREET TO ALLEY ALONG WEST SIDE CONGEN, HE WAS HIT BY SNIPERS BULLET PRESUMED TO HAVE COME FROM DIRECTION JUNCTION JULIAN’S WAY AND WAUCHOPE STREET. IDENTITY OF SNIPER CAN NOT BE ESTABLISHED. HE WAS CARRIED BY MEMBERS CONGEN TO FIRST AID ROOM AT CONGEN, WHERE HE WAS IMMEDIATELY ATTENDED BY PUBLIC HEALTH SURGEON.L ARMORED AMBULANCE CAME WITHIN TEN MINUTES FROM RED SHIELD SOCIETY AND WASSON WAS TAKEN TO HADASSAH ENGLISH MISSION HOSPITAL, WHERE ACTING DIRECTOR HADASSAH HAS ASSURED US EVERY FACILITY, INCLUDING PRIVATE ROOM AND NURSE WILL BE PLACED AT HIS DISPOSAL.
ACCORDING TO DOCTOR’S REPORT, 30 CALIBRE RIFLE BULLET ENTERED RIGHT UPPER ARM, PASSED THROUGH CHEST, AND EXITED AT LEVEL LEFT SECOND COSTAL CARTILAGE. WOUND IN RIGHT ARM EXCISED AND EXIT WOUND EXCISED, EXPLORED AND CLOSED. IS NOW OUT OF SHOCK AND RESTING QUIETLY. CONDITION GOOD, AND BARRING COMPLICATIONS, HAS MORE THAN EVEN CHANCE RECOVER. UNQUOTE
(SIGNED) AUSTIN
May18
Original: English
Sir,
I am directed by the President of the Security Council to communicate to you for transmission to the appropriate Jewish Authorities in Palestine the attached questions which the Security Council decided at its two hundred and ninety-fifth meeting, held on 18 May 1948, to address to the Jewish Authorities in Palestine.
I have the honour to inform you also that, in view of the urgency of the matter, the Security Council requested to receive a reply to the questions within forty-eight hours, counting from 19 May 1948 at noon, New York Standard Time.
I have the honour to be,
(a) Over which areas of Palestine do you actually exercise control at the present time?
(b) Do you have armed forces operating in areas (towns, cities, districts) of Palestine where the Arabs are the majority, or outside Palestine?
© If so, on what basis do you attempt to justify such operations?
(d) Have you arranged for the entry into Palestine in the near future of men of military age from outside Palestine? If so, what are the numbers and where are they coming from?
(e) Are you negotiating with Arab authorities regarding either the truce or a political settlement in Palestine?
(f) Have you named representatives to deal with the Security Council Truce Commission for the purpose of effecting the truce called for by the Security Council?
(g) Will you agree to an immediate and unconditional truce for the City of Jerusalem and the Holy Places?
(h) Have Arab forces penetrated into the territory over which you claim to have authority?
UNITED
NATIONS
NATIONS
Original: English
LETTER DATED 18 MAY 1948 FROM THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR SECURITY
COUNCIL AFFAIRS ADDRESSED TO THE JEWISH AGENCY FOR PALESTINE
18 May 1948
Sir,
I am directed by the President of the Security Council to communicate to you for transmission to the appropriate Jewish Authorities in Palestine the attached questions which the Security Council decided at its two hundred and ninety-fifth meeting, held on 18 May 1948, to address to the Jewish Authorities in Palestine.
I have the honour to inform you also that, in view of the urgency of the matter, the Security Council requested to receive a reply to the questions within forty-eight hours, counting from 19 May 1948 at noon, New York Standard Time.
I have the honour to be,
Your obedient Servant,
A. Sobolev
Assistant Secretary-General in charge of Security Council Affairs
QUESTIONS TO THE JEWISH AUTHORITIES IN PALESTINE
(a) Over which areas of Palestine do you actually exercise control at the present time?
(b) Do you have armed forces operating in areas (towns, cities, districts) of Palestine where the Arabs are the majority, or outside Palestine?
© If so, on what basis do you attempt to justify such operations?
(d) Have you arranged for the entry into Palestine in the near future of men of military age from outside Palestine? If so, what are the numbers and where are they coming from?
(e) Are you negotiating with Arab authorities regarding either the truce or a political settlement in Palestine?
(f) Have you named representatives to deal with the Security Council Truce Commission for the purpose of effecting the truce called for by the Security Council?
(g) Will you agree to an immediate and unconditional truce for the City of Jerusalem and the Holy Places?
(h) Have Arab forces penetrated into the territory over which you claim to have authority?
May16
JEWS IN GRAVE DANGER IN ALL MOSLEM LANDS
By MALLORY BROWNE
New York Times, May 16 1948, page E4
LAKE SUCCESS, N. Y., May 15 – For nearly four months, the United Nations has had before it: an appeal for “immediate and urgent” consideration of the case of the Jewish .populations in Arab and Muslim countries stretching front Morocco to India.
Even four months ago, it was the Zionist view that Jews residing in the Near and Middle East were in extreme and imminent danger. Now that the end of the ,mandate has precipitated civil war or even worse developments in Palestine, it is feared that the repercussions’ of this in Moslem countries will put the Jewish populations in many of these states in mortal peril.
Reports from the Middle East: make it clear that there is serious tension in all Arab countries. The Jewish populations there are gravely worried at the prospect that an Arab-Jewish war may break out suddenly at any moment.
Feeling Runs High
Already in some Muslem states such as Syria and Lebanon there is a tendency to regard all Jews as Zionist agents and “fifth columnists.” There have been violent incidents with feeling running high. There are indications that the stage is being set for a tragedy of incalculable proportions.
Nearly 900,000 Jews live in these Moslem and Arab countries ‘stretching from the Atlantic along the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean. Zionist leaders today are convinced that their position is perilous in the extreme.
When the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations meets in Geneva next July, this matter will come before it.
On Jan. 19. 1948, the World Jewish Congress submitted a memorandum on the whole problem to the Economic and Social Council, asking for urgent action during the spring session of the Council.
This plea arose to some extent from statements, made by Arab spokesmen during the General Assembly session last autumn, to the effect that if the partition resolution was put into, effect, they would not be able to guarantee the safety of the Jews in any_ Arab land.
The memorandum of the World Jewish Congress went into considerable detail on this danger. It cited the text of a law .drafted by the Political Committee of the Arab League which was intended, to govern the legal status of Jewish residents in all Arab League countries.
It provides that beginning on an, unspecified date all Jews except citizens of non-Arab states, would be considered “members of the Jewish minority state of Pales-tine.” Their bank accounts would he frozen and used to finance resistance to “Zionist ambitions in Palestine.” Jews believed to be active Zionists would be interned and their assets confiscated.
The memorandum gave many details of instances of persecution’ of Jewish individuals and whole communities. It listed the following tabulation of the Jewish residents in Arab countries:
French Morocco
290,000
Iraq
130,000
Algeria
120,000
Iran
90,000
Egypt
80,000
Tunisia
80,000
Turkey
75,000
Yemen
40,000
Libya
30,000
Spanish Morocco and Tangier
30,000
Syria
11,000
Lebanon 7,000
7,000
Aden (including refugees from Yemen) 8,000
8,000
Afghanistan (including refugees in India)
5,000
Other countries (Hadramuth, Sudan, Bahrein)
5,000
Total
999,000
Later information submitted to the Economic and Social Council was to the effect that:
In Syria a policy of economic discrimination is in effect against Jews. “Virtually all” Jewish civil servants in the employ of the Syrian Government have been discharged. Freedom of movement has been “practically abolished.” Special frontier posts have been established to control movements of! Jews. .’
In Iraq no Jew is permitted to’ leave the 'country unless he deposits f5,000 ($20,000) with the Government to ;guarantee his return. No foreign Jew is allowed to enter Iraq even in transit.
In Lebanon Jews have been, forced to contribute financially to the fight against the United Nations partition resolution on Palestine. Acts of violence against Jews are openly admitted by the press, which accuses Jews of “poisoning wells,” etc.
Danger Emphasized
Giving many other details of persecution. this report declares that “the very survival of the Jewish communities in certain Arab and Moslem countries is in serious danger unless preventative action is taken without delay.”
Today, with the Jewish State an established fact, Jewish spokesmen at Lake Success do not conceal their anxiety that this danger to the survival of the Jewish populations of the Arab countries is even more imminent, and that the only effective solution would be to facilitate their quick transfer, in so far as is possible and practicable, to the new Jewish State.
Conditions vary in the Moslem countries. They are worst in Yemen and Afghanistan, whence many Jews have fled in terror to India. Conditions in most of the countries have deteriorated in recent months, this being particularly true of Lebanon, Iran and Egypt. In the countries farther west along the Mediterranean coast, conditions are not so bad. It is feared, however, that if a full-scale war breaks out, the repercussions will be grave for Jews all the way from Casablanca to Karachi.
Source: The New York Times, May 16, 1948
May15
First proclamation printed by the Provisional government; calling on all State residents to volunteer to protect the homeland and care for its benefit: “In the period of this primary test, during the enemy’s attack, the Provisional Council takes the rule in its hands”; “We have been thrown into a cruel war. But we shall remember: Inside the borders of our State, the Arab citizens shall continue to live – and for many of them this war is unwelcome. Their rights, equal citizen rights, we are commanded to fulfill. Our face is towards peace. We stretch out our hands to them for sharing in the building of the homeland. Citizens! We will protect the honor of our young State. Each of us is responsible for it by his conduct, the purity of his stand, his honesty. Every person is responsible for its security and its future”.
Proclamation to all residents of the State of Israel, on behalf of the Provisional government of Israel. Tel Aviv: “HaPoel HaTzair” Co-operative.
First proclamation printed by the Provisional government; calling on all State residents to volunteer to protect the homeland and care for its benefit: “In the period of this primary test, during the enemy’s attack, the Provisional Council takes the rule in its hands”; “We have been thrown into a cruel war. But we shall remember: Inside the borders of our State, the Arab citizens shall continue to live – and for many of them this war is unwelcome. Their rights, equal citizen rights, we are commanded to fulfill. Our face is towards peace. We stretch out our hands to them for sharing in the building of the homeland. Citizens! We will protect the honor of our young State. Each of us is responsible for it by his conduct, the purity of his stand, his honesty. Every person is responsible for its security and its future”.
Lyn Julius replies to the Guardian’s whitewash of the ethnic cleansing of Jews
On May 4th we posted about an article by Guardian Middle East editor Ian Black that whitewashed the radical anti-Israel agendaof the NGO, Zochrot. However, what we didn’t address at the time was Black’s characteristic whitewash of the ethnic cleansing of Jews from Arab lands in the following passage of the article:
We were going to comment on Black’s historical revisionism today when we learned that Lyn Julius – one of the more knowledgeable commentators on the issue of Jewish refugees from Arab countries – had submitted a letter to the Guardian in response which (unsurprisingly) the paper declined to publish.
Here’s her letter:
Finally, here’s a graph by the group ‘Justice for Jews from Arab countries‘ quantifying the extent of the forced Jewish exodus.
RELATED ARTICLES
- No NGO like Zochrot for Jewish refugees (Point of No Return)
- The Guardian AGAIN whitewashes the ethnic cleansing of Jews (cifwatch.com)
The arab themselves show you for the liar you are.
In 1947, the Political Committee of the Arab League drafted a law against the Jews .
. This law had already been approved by Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, provided that, “beginning with a specified date, all Jews – with the exception of citizens of non-Arab countries – were to be considered members of the Jewish ‘minority state of Palestine,’ and that their bank account be frozen and used to finance resistance to ‘Zionist ambitions in Palestine.’ Jews believed to be active Zionists would be interned as political prisoners and their assets confiscated. Only Jews who accept active service in Arab armies or place themselves at the disposal of these armies would be considered ‘Arabs.’
New York Times article by Mallory Browne, dated May 16, 1948.
Browne reported:
Time Magazine of May 3, 1948, reported of Haifa:
A report by Habib Issa in the Lebanese newspaper, Al Hoda of June 8, 1951, stated:
What about those massacred and robbed of their homes in, let’s say, 1929?
For example the Jews of Hebron?
Why is it?
Let’s call a spade a spade.
It is those host countries who want to see the Palestinian move out en masse from within them just like they kicked the Jews out.
It is called history and – specially as Judea and Samaria were won by Israel in defensive war with Jordan and Egypt with whom it later signed peace the proposition of revision would be a precedent to revision of all borders and people moves forced by wars (and there are plenty)
THE PRIMARY resolution on which the Palestinians base their claim to a ‘right of return’ is General Assembly Resolution 194 (III) from 1948. A close examination of that resolution, as well as later ones, reveals that these resolutions do not grant Palestinian refugees the right of return to Israeli territory. This was true at the time the resolutions were adopted, and is certainly true now, more than 60 years later, when the number of refugees, together with their descendants, has increased approximately tenfold.
“A word for all of those who are ‘fed up’ and are ‘leaving for Europe’,” wrote Yair Lapid on his Facebook page on Monday, following television reports about young Jews leaving Israel in search of a more affordable life in abroad. “I am in Budapest. I came here to speak before parliament about anti-Semitism and to remind them how they tried to murder my father here just because Jews did not have a country of their own.”
Gaza was bombed on the day I arrived in retaliation for a series of rocket strikes on Israel, made by Arab militants. Those militants knew this would happen, but they launched their rockets anyway. Many Gazans hate them for this.
He knew the Israelis would quickly seek out the launcher, and that these men would bring death down on his home. But the militants sneered at his pleading, so he shoved his wife into his car and fled.