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Palestinian Arabs were offered their own state, side-by-side with Israel in 1947 by the United Nations partition plan (resolution 181).
This offer was rejected by the Arabs in Palestine and neighboring Arab states and followed with attacks by 5 Arab armies on Israel's Independence Day. At this time, more Jews were expelled from Arab Nations than Arabs displaced from Israeli territory.
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 called for the partition of the British-ruled Palestine Mandate into a Jewish state and an Arab state. It was approved on November 29, 1947 with 33 votes in favor, 13 against, 10 abstentions and one absent. The resolution was accepted by the Jews in Palestine, yet rejected by the Arabs in Palestine and the Arab states.
At this time, more Jews were expelled from Arab Nations than Arabs displaced from Israeli territory. Israel has absorbed the Jewish refugees, yet the Arab world refuses to accept the Palestinian Arabs into their countries. Today, 1.4 million Israeli-Arabs (20% of the
population) live in Israel and have more rights there than in any other Arab country such as the right to vote, free speech, freedom of religion, health insurance and more.
Although much is heard about the plight of the Palestinian refugees, little is said about the Jews who fled from Arab states due to persecution. In 1945, there were more than 870,000 Jews living in the various Arab states. Many of their communities dated back 2,500 years.
Throughout 1947 and 1948 these Jews were persecuted, imprisoned, their property and belongings were confiscated, and hundreds murdered. There were anti-Jewish riots in Egypt, Libya, Syria, and Iraq. In Iraq, Zionism was made a capital crime. Approximately 600,000 Jews sought refuge in the State of Israel. They arrived destitute, but they were absorbed into the society and be-came an integral part of the state.
In effect, then, a veritable exchange of populations took place between Arab and Jewish refugees. Thus, the Jewish refugees from Arab countries became full Israeli citizens whereas the Arab refugees who fled their homes in Palestine, remained "refugees" unaided by the neighboring Arab countries.
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