The Real Apartheid: Erasing Jews, Blaming Israel

The Jewish Communities in Arab Countries and the Real Apartheid

For years, Hamas and its supporters have accused Israel of practicing apartheid, claiming that non-Jews have no place in the Jewish state. At the same time, they contradict themselves by insisting that Judaism is only a religion and not an ethnicity—ignoring the undeniable reality that Jews, like Arabs, constitute a distinct ethnic group. The State of Israel, re-established on the indigenous homeland of the Jewish people, welcomed Arabs who chose to stay within its borders. Meanwhile, the newly created Arab states—Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq—formed around the same time expelled or systematically destroyed their ancient Jewish communities.

The False Apartheid Accusation

The charge of apartheid against Israel collapses under scrutiny. Israel is one of the most ethnically diverse nations in the world, home to Jews from Russia, Ethiopia, New Zealand, Indonesia, and dozens of other countries. Israeli Arabs, who make up about 20% of the population, enjoy full citizenship rights, including voting, serving in parliament, and holding high-ranking positions in the judiciary, medicine, and the military. The real problem arises with those who identify as “Palestinians,” many of whom are linked to terrorist organizations such as Fatah and Hamas. They deny Jewish peoplehood and justify violence aimed at expelling Jews from their historic homeland. So, where is the real apartheid?

The Forgotten Jewish Communities of the Arab World

While Israel integrated Jews from around the world, Arab countries systematically erased their Jewish populations through persecution, violence, and apartheid-like policies. Let’s examine the cases of Syria and Iraq.

Syria: A Vanished Community

In 1978, we lived in Damascus, Syria, near the bustling Al-Hamidiya Souq. Amid the narrow alleyways and vibrant market stalls, we wandered into a small antique shop run by a man known as “Copper Ahmed.” There, among his collection of treasures, we found a beautiful antique copper side table and brought it home. For 46 years, it has stood loyally beside my bed. Only recently did my eyes truly settle on the intricate details of its design—a Star of David, etched proudly at its center. A silent witness to a vanished world, a quiet echo of the once-thriving Jewish community that called Syria home.

The Jewish presence in Syria dates back to biblical times. By the Roman and Byzantine periods, cities like Damascus and Aleppo had thriving Jewish communities. Under Islamic rule, Jews were considered “dhimmis”—a protected yet second-class minority. Aleppo became a major center of Jewish life, home to the famous Aleppo Codex, an authoritative manuscript of the Hebrew Bible.

However, the 20th century brought increasing hostility. After Israel’s creation in 1948, the Syrian government imposed severe restrictions on Jews, including travel bans, job limitations, and violent pogroms. By the 1970s, only a few hundred Jews remained in Syria, mainly in Damascus, living under oppressive conditions. In the 1990s, the last remnants of Syrian Jewry were allowed to emigrate, effectively erasing a community that had existed for millennia.

Today, not a single Jew openly resides in Syria. That is what true apartheid looks like.

Iraq: From Babylonian Scholarship to Ethnic Cleansing

The Jewish presence in Iraq stretches back 2,600 years to the Babylonian exile. Jewish scholars in Babylonia produced the Talmud, one of the most important texts in Judaism. By the 19th century, Iraqi Jews were integral to the economy and government, but rising antisemitism led to their persecution.

The Farhud pogrom of 1941—encouraged by Nazi-aligned Iraqi officials—saw the brutal murder of hundreds of Jews. After Israel’s establishment, Iraq stripped Jews of their citizenship and property, forcing 120,000 to flee in Operation Ezra and Nehemiah (1950-1951). Today, Iraq’s Jewish population is virtually extinct, a tragic outcome of true apartheid policies.

The Ongoing Threat: Hamas and Its Goal of Ethnic Cleansing

What happened to the Jews of the Arab world is now being attempted again—this time by Hamas and other Palestinian terror organizations in Gaza, Judea, and Samaria. Their explicit goal is to expel every Jew from Israel while falsely accusing Israel of apartheid. This is a textbook example of projection: accusing others of the crimes they themselves commit.

Conclusion: The World’s Blind Spot

The world remains blind to the historical reality of Jewish persecution in Arab lands. While Israel embraces diversity, its neighbors have systematically erased their Jewish populations. The real apartheid was—and continues to be—practiced by those who expelled Jews and now seek to delegitimize Israel’s right to exist.

Wake up, world. It’s time to recognize the truth.