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There was a cruel [[ethnic cleansing]] by the armed Arabs of the pious Jews in [[Jerusalem]]. The Jews of the old city, the dwelling of their families in Jerusalem going back for generations, were given one hour to pack.

There was a cruel [[ethnic cleansing]] by the armed Arabs of the pious Jews in [[Jerusalem]]. The Jews of the old city, the dwelling of their families in Jerusalem going back for generations, were given one hour to pack.

It has been documented: <i>the Arab Legion’s scorched-earth tactics that razed and burned to the ground every structure there, including all its synagogues and yeshivahs. The Arabs expelled all of the city’s residents, mainly defenseless, old Orthodox Jews. They were given about an hour to vacate homes that most extended families had lived in for centuries.</i><ref>Richard Pollock, "[https://www.jns.org/opinion/a-will-to-survive-recalls-arab-ethnic-cleansing-of-jerusalems-jews A Will to Survive’ recalls Arab ethnic cleansing of Jerusalem’s Jews]", JNS, August 12, 2021.

It has been documented: ''the Arab Legion’s scorched-earth tactics that razed and burned to the ground every structure there, including all its synagogues and yeshivahs. The Arabs expelled all of the city’s residents, mainly defenseless, old Orthodox Jews. They were given about an hour to vacate homes that most extended families had lived in for centuries.''<ref>Richard Pollock, "[https://www.jns.org/opinion/a-will-to-survive-recalls-arab-ethnic-cleansing-of-jerusalems-jews A Will to Survive’ recalls Arab ethnic cleansing of Jerusalem’s Jews]", JNS, August 12, 2021.

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A “Life” magazine photojournalist rekindles the 1948 Arab destruction of the city’s Jewish Quarter, along with the eviction of its residents.

A “Life” magazine photojournalist rekindles the 1948 Arab destruction of the city’s Jewish Quarter, along with the eviction of its residents.

Blatman states that I argued that "more than half a year before the Arab invasion began," the Yishuv leaders sought to expand the state's borders beyond those set out in the UN General Assembly resolution, "and reduce to a minimum" the number of Arabs left in the Jewish state.  My words and of history.

Blatman states that I argued that "more than half a year before the Arab invasion began," the Yishuv leaders sought to expand the state's borders beyond those set out in the UN General Assembly resolution, "and reduce to a minimum" the number of Arabs left in the Jewish state.  My words and of history.

Of course, leaders at the beginning of a country's path are interested in increasing their country's territory, but there is a big difference between personal aspirations and policies.  In terms of policy, the leaders of the settlement aspired to expand the territory of the country on the way only around March-April 1948, and not from November 1947;  And only after four months of Arab fighting against the settlement - which stood on strategic defense;  And only after the Arab leaders made it clear, early in the morning and in the evening, that they intended to attack the Jewish state with the departure of the British from Israel.

Of course, leaders at the beginning of a country's path are interested in increasing their country's territory, but there is a big difference between personal aspirations and policies.  In terms of policy, the leaders of the settlement aspired to expand the territory of the country on the way only around March–April 1948, and not from November 1947;  And only after four months of Arab fighting against the settlement - which stood on strategic defense;  And only after the Arab leaders made it clear, early in the morning and in the evening, that they intended to attack the Jewish state with the departure of the British from Israel.

As for the reduction of the number of Arabs, at no stage of the 1948 war was the decision of the Yishuv or the state - neither the management of the Jewish Agency nor the Israeli government, nor the General Staff of the Defense or the IDF General Staff - made a decision to "expel the Arabs."  It is true that David Ben-Gurion and Haim Weizmann supported the transfer of an Arab population from the territory of the Jewish state that would be established in the late 1930s and early 1940s.  400,000 Arabs and more.

As for the reduction of the number of Arabs, at no stage of the 1948 war was the decision of the Yishuv or the state - neither the management of the Jewish Agency nor the Israeli government, nor the General Staff of the Defense or the IDF General Staff - made a decision to "expel the Arabs."  It is true that David Ben-Gurion and Haim Weizmann supported the transfer of an Arab population from the territory of the Jewish state that would be established in the late 1930s and early 1940s.  400,000 Arabs and more.

During the war, at one point, Ben-Gurion made his officers understand that it was better for as few Arabs as possible to remain in the country, but he never instructed them to "expel the Arabs" (and in July 1948 he even decided against the expulsion of Arabs from Nazareth,  Lod and Ramla).  The atmosphere of transfer that has prevailed in the country since April 1948 has never been translated into official policy - so there were officers who expelled Arabs and there were those who refrained from deportation.  Neither these nor those were reprimanded for it or punished.  Finally, in 1949, there were about 160,000 Arabs left in the country - a fifth of its population - who swelled to 1.6 million over the decades (and now their leaders have refrained from attending the funeral of Shimon Peres, who among other things tried to promote a two-state solution).  ).

During the war, at one point, Ben-Gurion made his officers understand that it was better for as few Arabs as possible to remain in the country, but he never instructed them to "expel the Arabs" (and in July 1948 he even decided against the expulsion of Arabs from Nazareth,  Lod and Ramla).  The atmosphere of transfer that has prevailed in the country since April 1948 has never been translated into official policy - so there were officers who expelled Arabs and there were those who refrained from deportation.  Neither these nor those were reprimanded for it or punished.  Finally, in 1949, there were about 160,000 Arabs left in the country - a fifth of its population - who swelled to 1.6 million over the decades (and now their leaders have refrained from attending the funeral of Shimon Peres, who among other things tried to promote a two-state solution).

If Blatman reads my book, he will realize that on March 24, 1948, Ben-Gurion's deputy in the Ministry of Defense, Israel Galili, the head of the national defense staff, ordered all defense brigades not to displace Arab populations from the designated Jewish state.  Things did change in early April, due to the dilapidated condition of the settlement and due to the anticipation of the impending Arab invasion.  But a general policy of deportation has not yet been adopted - here they were deported, there they were not deported, and for the most part the Arabs simply fled.

If Blatman reads my book, he will realize that on March 24, 1948, Ben-Gurion's deputy in the Ministry of Defense, Israel Galili, the head of the national defense staff, ordered all defense brigades not to displace Arab populations from the designated Jewish state.  Things did change in early April, due to the dilapidated condition of the settlement and due to the anticipation of the impending Arab invasion.  But a general policy of deportation has not yet been adopted - here they were deported, there they were not deported, and for the most part the Arabs simply fled.

Bigotry in Arab Islamic countries led to explusion of over close to 900,000 Jews.

Bigotry in Arab Islamic countries led to explusion of over close to 900,000 Jews.

Prior to 1948, approximately 950,000 Jews<ref> R. Moreh, "[https://haam.org/remembering-the-jews-of-the-middle-east-and-north-africa/ Remembering the Jews of the Middle East and North Africa]", Haam, Jan 29, 2015</ref> lived in Muslim countries of the [[Middle East]], [[North Africa]], and the [[Persian Gulf]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Group Spotlights Jews Who Left Arab Lands |author=Warren Hoge |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/05/world/middleeast/05nations.html?_r=1&ex=1352005200 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 5, 2007}}</ref>

Prior to 1948, approximately 950,000 Jews<ref>R. Moreh, "[https://haam.org/remembering-the-jews-of-the-middle-east-and-north-africa/ Remembering the Jews of the Middle East and North Africa]", Haam, Jan 29, 2015</ref> lived in Muslim countries of the [[Middle East]], [[North Africa]], and the [[Persian Gulf]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Group Spotlights Jews Who Left Arab Lands |author=Warren Hoge |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/05/world/middleeast/05nations.html?_r=1&ex=1352005200 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 5, 2007}}</ref>

As many as 870,000 Jews (persecuted by the Arab League as the “Jewish minority of Palestine”) were driven from, or fled, the Arab world at around the same time as the Palestinian refugees — and as a consequence of the same conflict, merely because Jews in Arab lands shared the same religion and ethnicity as Israelis.<ref>L Julius, "[https://www.thejc.com/comment/opinion/why-are-jews-so-quick-to-defend-our-enemies-1.521243 Why are Jews so quick to defend our enemies?]", JC, Oct 7, 2021.

As many as 870,000 Jews (persecuted by the Arab League as the “Jewish minority of Palestine”) were driven from, or fled, the Arab world at around the same time as the Palestinian refugees — and as a consequence of the same conflict, merely because Jews in Arab lands shared the same religion and ethnicity as Israelis.<ref>L Julius, "[https://www.thejc.com/comment/opinion/why-are-jews-so-quick-to-defend-our-enemies-1.521243 Why are Jews so quick to defend our enemies?]", JC, Oct 7, 2021.