The Palestinian Refugee Problem Resolved

by Shaul Bartal
Middle East Quarterly
Fall 2013, pp. 29-40 (view PDF)

October 17, 2013 | 25 Comments »

Subscribe to Israpundit Daily Digest

Leave a Reply

25 Comments / 25 Comments

  1. M Devolin Said:

    But the Good Doctor is also anti-Jewish. “A little folly outweighs wisdom and honour.” As soon as I saw the title of this article, I knew this barnacle would be commenting. Like prune juice down an anal track.

    loved it as well Kudos!!!

  2. “How much more anti-Islamic can I get?”

    But the Good Doctor is also anti-Jewish. “A little folly outweighs wisdom and honour.” As soon as I saw the title of this article, I knew this barnacle would be commenting. Like prune juice down an anal track.

  3. unbelievable, first comment to curious american to disappeared and now this one 17 in moderation. this software is not conducive to this forums use.

  4. CuriousAmerican Said:

    Do you think the Palestinian living in a slum in Lebanon will be swayed by this?
    Do you think the Palestinian living in a slum in Ramallah will be swayed by this?
    Do you think the Palestinian living in a slum in Gaza will be swayed by this?
    Right or wrong this piece will solve nothing.

    As usual you have us focused on the problems of the pals as a red herring instead of focusing on getting equivalent justice for the jews.
    What the pals think or are swayed by is unimportant. it is what the israeli jews think and do that is important. All other problems are solved if the Jews unilaterally perform the completion of the population exchange with the same standards as the arabs.
    My comment to you on this has disappeared in Teds spam filter and I hope that he posts this before morning.

  5. my comment 16 to curious american disappeared in spam, every time Ted goes to sleep the spam and moderation go haywire.

  6. CuriousAmerican Said:

    You have Arab families in Jaffa which are being forced to rent their own family houses because in 1948 their own houses were seized as state property

    the problem is that they were not expelled after their properties were confiscated as were the Jews from the arab side of the conflict. I dont agree with double standards placed on the Jews, unlike you.
    CuriousAmerican Said:

    That is not even the point.
    This is a wonderful piece of work, but not one will listen to it.
    This is a statement of defiance – MAYBE JUSTIFIED – but it will solve nothing.
    Do you think the Palestinian living in a slum in Lebanon will be swayed by this?
    Do you think the Palestinian living in a slum in Ramallah will be swayed by this?
    Do you think the Palestinian living in a slum in Gaza will be swayed by this?
    Right or wrong this piece will solve nothing.

    The only ones of importance to listen are the Israeli Jews. I have shown you umpteen times the best solution, and the only solution, that can be unilaterally completed by Israel only. Once the Jews realize that until the arabs are expelled and their properties confiscated there can be no completion of justice for the Jews.
    Regarding your questions regarding the Palestinians an whether they will be swayed I note that it was not important to you, and no one else, what the expelled Jews thought or were swayed by. It is of no importance what the pals think or what will sway them if the Jews can be convinced to expel them. The only thing of importance is to educate the jews to the unrequited justice which begs for completion and then to convince them of the moral correctness of completing the population exchange exactly as was done to the Jews. This is the only way to avoid a double standard for the jews.

  7. Although the article was very interesting it stopped short. Until the west bank arabs are expelled and their property confiscated the population exchange has not been completed and justice for the Jews has not been secured. Mr. Bartal assumes that the west bank arabs completed their exchange to the west bank PA. However, this is inaccurate as a proper completion puts them out of Israel west of the Jordan and in one of the many arab states who expelled Jews or went to war against Israel. Still waiting for a jewish leader to unilaterally seize justice for the Jews.

  8. @ yamit82:
    Of course you are anti-Islamic but also anti Judaism and pro Palistinian.

    And you are lying. My answer is in moderation, I believe.

    Your link did not work so I had to figure it out.

  9. @ CuriousAmerican:
    No you were not here this time.

    So I ask one final time, Curious are you aware of the following below? These are quotes from Michael Oren Israels ambassador

    “The State of Israel wants the Jewish people to remain Jewish…” While noting that “Israel greatly values its relationship with the evangelical community and other Christian communities in the world,” Oren cautioned that, “we are very sensitive to the notion of proselytizing — very sensitive.”

    Oren said, “The Christian churches that are active and there are a great number of them — have an agreement with the Israeli government that they can enjoy complete religious freedom, but that they should refrain from proselytizing.”

    How do you feel about that? Is that something you are willing to refrain from (proselytizing) while virtually visiting Israel and its Jews?

  10. @ Bear Klein:
    Curious are you aware of the following below? These are quotes from Michael Oren Israels ambassador

    “The State of Israel wants the Jewish people to remain Jewish…” While noting that “Israel greatly values its relationship with the evangelical community and other Christian communities in the world,” Oren cautioned that, “we are very sensitive to the notion of proselytizing — very sensitive.”

    Oren said, “The Christian churches that are active and there are a great number of them — have an agreement with the Israeli government that they can enjoy complete religious freedom, but that they should refrain from proselytizing.”

    How do you feel about that? Is that something you are willing to refrain from (proselytizing) while virtually visiting Israel and its Jews?

    I WAS NOT PROSYLETIZING! What is your problem, here?

  11. Curious are you aware of the following below? These are quotes from Michael Oren Israels ambassador

    “The State of Israel wants the Jewish people to remain Jewish…” While noting that “Israel greatly values its relationship with the evangelical community and other Christian communities in the world,” Oren cautioned that, “we are very sensitive to the notion of proselytizing — very sensitive.”

    Oren said, “The Christian churches that are active and there are a great number of them — have an agreement with the Israeli government that they can enjoy complete religious freedom, but that they should refrain from proselytizing.”

    How do you feel about that? Is that something you are willing to refrain from (proselytizing) while virtually visiting Israel and its Jews?

  12. @ yamit82:
    Your continuous efforts to that effect is not serendipitous but a conscious effort on your part to do so. Even if some of your contentions were factually correct the mere fact that you purposely search them out underscores your probably inbred but definitely christian overriding innate animus towards Israel and Jews.

    The only animus I see is yours towards Christianity.

  13. @ CuriousAmerican:

    You seem to disparage, deny or question the veracity of any report favorable to the Jews and accept without question any report from any source less favorable to Jews and Israel.

    While paying insincere lip service to supporting Jewish and Israeli general positions you always find some tidbit, usually gleaned from anti-Israel sources or some arcane factoid to justify the Arabs position in a relativist manner.

    Your continuous efforts to that effect is not serendipitous but a conscious effort on your part to do so. Even if some of your contentions were factually correct the mere fact that you purposely search them out underscores your probably inbred but definitely christian overriding innate animus towards Israel and Jews.

  14. @ CuriousAmerican:

    The New York Times did a story of an Arab Christian family forced to rent their own house from Amidar.

    Consider the source. I’ll bet there is more to the story or its an outright fabrication. Both sides DIDN’T do it.

  15. Those Jews who remained in Syria were forced to pay rent on their own property; if they were unable to keep up the scheduled payments,

    This is disgusting.

    But here is a genuine question:

    Didn’t Absentee Property Laws do the same things to Arabs in Israel?

    The New York Times did a story of an Arab Christian family forced to rent their own house from Amidar.

    I think what happened to the Jews is terrible, awful, and repulsive.

    But both sides did it.

    You have Arab families in Jaffa which are being forced to rent their own family houses because in 1948 their own houses were seized as state property and are now run by Amidar.

    Again, neither situation is right.

  16. To the point, and interesting!

    Now, get the Palestinians to agree to it.

    Seems everyone was making decisions for the Palestinians EXCEPT THE PALESTINIANS!

    This in turn means that Israel has no responsibility whatsoever toward the descendants of the 1948 Palestinian refugees and no obligation to aid them other than out of purely humanitarian concerns, together with the rest of the enlightened world. Any attempt to argue otherwise stems from misplaced political considerations and the rewriting of history

    Doesn’t mince words.

    I am sure that every Palestinian who reads that, and every Arab leader who reads that will agree. End: Sarcasm

    Problem solved. End: Sarcasm

    Right or wrong, this article solves nothing but the author’s point-of-view.

    Let me give you an example:

    Yamit could write on for hundreds of pages how Jesus is not the Messiah. He would not convince me. Likewise, I could never convince him.

    The article above will only convince the true believes of Zionism’s total innocence.

    He states that the Arabs only left $3.5 Billion in today’s property value.

    I doubt it. Jaffa alone is worth much more, and Jaffa was almost totally Arab in 1948. Jaffa was developed and is worth more than $3.5 Billion. He is underestimating Arab loses.

    Then he claims $100 Billion for Jewish loses. I think the ratio is a bit exaggerated.

    I agree that Jewish loses were major, but I seriously doubt they went up to $100 Billion. The usual figure given is two to 1 in value ratios. This guy is arguing 30 to 1.

    That is not even the point.

    This is a wonderful piece of work, but not one will listen to it.

    This is a statement of defiance – MAYBE JUSTIFIED – but it will solve nothing.

    Do you think the Palestinian living in a slum in Lebanon will be swayed by this?

    Do you think the Palestinian living in a slum in Ramallah will be swayed by this?

    Do you think the Palestinian living in a slum in Gaza will be swayed by this?

    Right or wrong this piece will solve nothing.