By Ted Belman
Yesterday Kushner said some crazy or inaccurate things.
“Look, you have a situation when this whole thing started where you had 800,000 Jewish refugees that came out of all the different Middle Eastern countries and you had 800,000, roughly, Palestinian refugees,”
First of all, it is entirely inappropriate to compare the two refugee populations.
The Jews on the one hand, had lived in the Arab countries for many centuries, perhaps millennium, and were forced to leave and were shorn of their assets when they left, which were estimated in 2006 to be worth $300 Billion.
The World Organization of Jews from Arab Countries (WOJAC) estimated in 2006, that Jewish property abandoned in Arab countries would be valued at more than $100 billion, later revising their estimate in 2007 to $300 billion. They also estimated Jewish-owned real-estate left behind in Arab lands at 100,000 square kilometers (four times the size of the state of Israel).
The Arab “refugees” in the main are not refugees according to UNHCR because,
1) they chose to leave ie, they were not forced to leave but did so voluntarily,
2) Palestine was not their “home” as it is generally defined. They had in the main, lived there for less than two decades.
3). Those who resettled in other parts of mandatory Palestine did not cross an international boundary and therefore they are referred to as Internally Displaced Persons (IDP). Some may argue that the Jordan River was an international boundary because Jordan had declared independence a few years earlier. Whatever, but the “refugees” who remained west of the Jordan River cannot be considered true refugees.
4, If the children of those who fled were born in another land, they are not considered refugees. (UNRWA uses a different definition of refugee and includes all children of refugees and their children and so on. Also they consider all persons who live west of the Jordan River who asked for refugee status, as refugees.)
5. In addition the number of Arab refugees is vastly exaggerated in order to equate the 800,000 Jewish refugees. The true number even using UNRWA definitions never exceeded 500,000.
“I have a lot of respect for President Abbas. I think that he devoted his life to trying to make peace,” Kushner said. “I do believe in his heart he wants to make peace, and my hope is that we’re going to be able to give him that opportunity to try and achieve that.”
Kushner should know better. I am sure he does.
“Our door is always open to the Palestinian people, to the Palestinian leadership. President Trump is very fond of President Abbas, he likes him very much personally,” he said. “And at the right time, if they’re willing to engage, I believe that they’ll find that they’ll have an opportunity. Whether they’ll be willing to take that opportunity will be up to them.”
He is really laying it on thick. Also, there is no way that Abbas would accept any “opportunity” offered.
“Quite frankly, the Palestinian leadership — I’m not quite sure what they’re selling to the people, but their argument against it has not been one we found to be substantive or even comprehensible. So, it’s been more hysterical and erratic and not terribly constructive,”
At least here he is being more real.
A poll published Wednesday by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found 90 percent of Palestinians said when asked to choose between independence and economic prosperity, 83% of Palestinians opted for the former and a mere 15% selected the latter, the poll also found.
Maybe they will accept independence in Jordan. I hope so.
@ Edgar G.:
Kushner is treading carefully because of the ton of political baggage which surrounds him.
Your criticism of Kushner is style over substance, but compared to the plurality who supported Obama, Clinton and Biden, Kushner’s attitude is refreshing. Obviously he played a critical role in the election of Trump, so he will always be connected to everything good Trump has done for Israel.
@ DirkAnderson:The question is which summer no?
@ Ted Belman:
Ted, do we know if Mudar will be in power before the end of the summer?
@ Ted Belman:
The key words Ted, are….. “When Mudar is in power..: And I say…:”let it be soon”…..
Kushner knows what he is doing. Or should I say where he is going, He is changing the conversation.
Trump took on UNRWA as the starting point. Then there has been talking about induced emigration of a million Arabs and now there is mention of the unresolved issue regarding the large number of Jewish refugees from Arab lands. Where he is ultimately going with this is to offer compensation to the expelled Jews or their descendants and requiring Arab countries to absorb the Arab refugees.
Secndly he offered Abbas $50 B and was rejected. When Mudar is in power ruling more Palestinians than Abbas, he will offfer him the same deal. Just watch and wait.
There will be no peace process to inaugurate. The Deal of the Century is any solution that ends the conflict. Jordan and Israel have a peace agreement. Jordan will replace the PA as the Administrator of Area A. All that is left to do is incentivise a couple million Arabs to move to Jordan. Deal done.
@ Wooly Mammoth:
Ted agrees that his numbers are not accurate-so you need not accept them unless you wish to be also inaccurate. . The numbers I have found most believable, after very many years reading everything that has come out about the refugees and the so-called refugees, etc. are the numbers revealed by Joan Peters in her monumental, massively researched book… “From Time Immemorial”….
And as for your interpretory powers…… No need to say what came to my mind about them…
@ Wooly Mammoth:
I think you are allowing far too much sensitivity to Kushner… with your gentle “easing”…and all that crap…which gives me the thought that it’s like a surgeon gently inserting a knife or other macabre object into the body of a nervous patient .
The plenipotentiary (representative) of the greatest state that ever existed, does not have to be so gentle as to treat his antagonists like babies. Neither Greenblatt nor Friedman have done so, and they are acting with him They call “spades” by their correct names.
All this “softly. softly” “gently, gently”, when you’re dealing with Arabs is just so much energy thrown down the drain, as has been AMPLY shown over the past 50-60-70- years and more.
Fix them with a glare, and then TELL them what they need to do, “and-do-it-quick-or –else”…is the only language they really take as truth. All else is haggling,, and allowing THEM to set their own pace…..is the road to nowhere, which is exactly at the place you started.. They are masters of double talk, lying like truth, believing their own, known lies and more. Nobody gets the best of an Arab in his own specialty..
Do you recall the history of the Barbary Coast Pirate curse. of over 100 years.. And the way the Americans finally had to deal with it. Well they were the very same kind of Arabs as there are today.
I tend to trust Mr. Belman’s numbers.
Here is how I interpret Mr Kushner’s remarks:
There has been such profound dishonesty from the mainstream media on the subject of Israel and the issue of the so called “Palestinian Refugees”.
There is virtually no mention of Jewish Refugees as described.
I tend to believe that Jared is gently introducing the idea that there were Jewish Refugees from Arab countries which were expelled in 1948 etc.
The reason being that as the idea Kushner is attempting to ease into the public’s consciousness at this point, is only an appetizer for what will be built up into a major issue in Trump’s ‘Deal of The Century’.
I guess in a sense, Kushner’s is taking a lesson from The Jihadi Playbook which is called, “semantic infiltration”. There is a huge difference between the two. Jared is educating the public about the truth and The other side has attempted to introduce made up terms which are based upon pure fiction, such as the fictitious sickening term, “West Bank”.
One final point. Should Trump’s Deal be rejected as expected, then I believe you will find a US administration open to annexation and consideration of some of the ideas studied and written by amongst others, Ted Belman.
No one believed, here at Israpundit, inclusive of The Bear, except for a very very few that Trump would prevail. I was one of the tiny tiny number.
No one believed Trump would move the embassy, end the Iran Nuke Disaster or recognize Israeli sovereignty of The Golan.
If the numbskulls reject Trump’s Plan, as expected, he will “drain the swamp”. I will leave it to Ted Belman to to imagine all of what is on Israel’s wish list, because, should he be re-elected that is probably what Israel is going to be offered, despite what Jared is saying today. Get It? Good.
Happy 4th of July, for Israel and The U.S.
It’s not that, the point is, as Jews, which I am one, grew up being hated, the other,”humans,” despite they’re hypocricy, can’t do better, can’t live with,”Let’s live together! This is what’s make mean angry, if they can’t live with this, fine! But you are going to pay consequences!
@ Edgar G.:
I was well aware that 800,000 Jewish refugees was a low estimate and that even the 500,000 Arabs was a high one. I just didn’t have the time to research it out.
I republished my article Trump’s War Against UNRWA today.
Edgar, that figure would be in the trillions! They have 22 countries, + 35+ more if includes Muslims, yet still not enough! When I ask “humans,” How did they get so much???!!” “ But the Jews….!!??
@ broseman:
For the Jews, yes it IS tragic….”As for the Arabs, “loz zey lign in der erd.,They are not “sacrificing” they are ensuring a cushy future filled with virgins and lashings of alcohol..
As for Ted’s comments, I entirely agree with him. and am surprised at the simple-minded Kushner attempt to “grease’: a cunning, wily terrorist like Abbas.
I disagree with Ted as to the numbers of refugees on both sides. The Jewish refugees have been “estimated ” on no evidence, as being from the LOW of 800,000 to 1.2 million….and the Arab ones, although mostly not refugees according to the recognised facts, have been SHOWN, by variety of estimable writer/historians, as being from 290,000 to now Kushner’s massive and unbelievable 800,000.
Even the toxic UNWRA some years ago, in a weakness of truth telling, said that at the time, there was such confusion, and they had no Arab speakers, that although they knew that many Arabs were registering multiple times under different names, also coming in from surrounding countries for the free aid of housing, food, money medical, school etc, they could do nothing about it, and eventually classed as a refugee any who had been in the country for as little as 2 years. Also, classed as refugees were those who had moved only a mile or two away, and lastly those who were still in their homes and had never moved at ll.
As we’ve ALWAYS known…UNWRA has always been a massive fraud with 39,000 employees much of the time, all but a handful being Arabs, supposedly “refugees” as well.
@ broseman:
For the Jews, yes it IS tragic….”As for the Arabs, “loz zey lign in der erd.,
As for Ted’s comments, I entirely agree with him. and am surprised at the simple-minded Kushner attempt to “grease’: a cunning, wily terrorist like Abbas.
I disagree with Ted as to the numbers of refugees on both sides. The Jewish refugees have been |estimated ” on no evidence, as being from the LOW of 800,000 to 1.2 million….and the Arab ones, although mostly not refugees according to the recognised facts, have been SHOWN, by variety of estimable writer/historians, as being from 290,000 to now Kushner’s massive and unbelievable 800,000.
Even the toxic UNWRA some years ago, in a weakness of truth telling, said that at the time, there was such confusion, and they had no Arab speakers, that although they knew that many Arabs were registering multiple times under different names, also coming in from surrounding countries for the free aid of housing, food, money medical, school etc, they could do nothing about it, and eventually classed as a refugee any who had been in the country for as little as 2 years. Also, classed as refugees were those who had moved only a mile or two away, and lastly those who were still in their homes and had nebver moved at ll.
As we’ve ALWAYS known…UNWRA has always been a massive fraud with 39,000 employees much of the time, all but a handful being Arabs, supposedly “refugees” as well.
so tragic. They refuse peace and prosperity. They sacrifice their children.
As for you last line I believe you are dreaming.The only thing they dream about is Judenrein Palestine