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Yisrael Medad
Analyst and commentator on political and cultural issues.

Yes, There Is A Difference

An Ir Amim spokesperson is quoted as saying:

“There was Jewish property in east Jerusalem prior to 1948, because of course it was one city…However, after 1948 Jews lost that property in the same way that Palestinians lost property in West Jerusalem.”

No. They most certainly did not lose it in the same way.

After 30 years of terror, Zionist yielding of land and British duplicity, the UN recommended another partition which the Arabs refused to accept while the Jews did — on November 29, 1947.  Within hours, Jews were being attacked by Arabs in areas, among others, in what Ir Amim calls “east Jerusalem”.  Specifically, Shimon Hatzadik, which was

…established around the Tomb of Simeon the Just, after whom it was named. The tomb and surrounding lands (a plot of approximately 18 dunams) was purchased in 1876 by the committee of the Sephardic community and the Ashkenazi Assembly of Israel

And its Jewish population was driven out in late December 1947-January 1948.

The Hebrew University on Mount Scopus also was attacked.  A convoy of Jewish civilians, mainly doctors and other medical staff headed for the Hadassah Hospital, was ambushed in April with dozens slaughtered.  The list of incidents is long and includes the loss of Neveh Yaakov and Atarot as well as the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem with thousands of Jews expelled from their homes and made refugees.

As a result of this Arab aggression and refusal to agree to any diplomatic solution, Jews defended themselves.  And that is the difference which Ir Amim (and others on the Left) either ignore or hide. Or lie about.

Arab property is in one way or another the spoils of war which they initiated and lost.  The Jews/Israelis who support the Arab position through mendaciousness also will lose.

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About the Author
Yisrael Medad, currently is a Research Fellow at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem and Deputy Editor of the English Language Anthology of Jabotinsky's Writings. American-born, he and his wife made Aliyah in 1970. He resides in Shiloh since 1981. He was a member of the Betar Youth Movement World Executive and is a volunteer spokesperson for the Yesha Council. He holds a MA in Political Science from the Hebrew University and is active is many Zionist and Jewish projects and initiatives.