Kesher Talk

Mizrachim speak out. Jews who fled from formerly Arab countries are telling their stories.

Recently, more than 450 people attended a conference in Montreal to hear one witness after another discuss their experiences as Jews in the Arab world — part of an effort to raise the issue as a bargaining chip in future negotiations with the Palestinians. “I don’t think there has been any attempt to hide the fact that this is opening up a second front” for Israel and provide the ability to meet the Arab propaganda that is ongoing, with regards to the Palestinian narrative,” said Keith Landy, national president of the Canadian Jewish Congress. “What this does is allow those Jews that were expelled from Arab countries” to tell their personal stories.

“Any future peace plan must address, as a matter of international law and morality, the material losses of Jewish individuals and community property,” Landy added. “U.N. Resolution 242 calls for a ‘just settlement of the refugee problem.’ It makes no distinction between Arab refugees and former Jewish refugees, the majority having been resettled in Israel.” [Emphasis mine.]

The first of such conferences - 50 years overdue - was held in Paris last year.

posted by Judith @ 1/08/2003 09:30:24 AM