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Fourth Class ( BOSTONJkWTURDAY, JANUARY 19, 1957 |Archbishop of Galilee Mourns Life Of Fellow Arabs Under Israeli Rule i '(The author stfif in the Middle, ticlcs recording recently returned from an extended* Vast. This is the first in a series of ar- observations there.—Ed.) SDWARD R. F. SHEEHAN NAZARETH, Israel - - It conquering the Gas» Staip, Israel capturm 200,000 Arab tefugees who had fled eight years ago wlfen the new Jewish state was chopped out of Arab Palestine. • These refugees have endured t an unspeakable squalor and privation since 194 AI thou: to flee to smal escape few su "Hei the camps of Gaza many of them tried thward or crowded in- boats in attempts to recent Israeli invasion, eeded. an opportunity," com- J n lit th Is#el wl is mentcd the liberal Manchester Guardian, "for Israel to retrieve in some measure the good name she has sacrificed . . . Her enemies—and still more her friends —will judge her on how she- treats these unhappy people.' If Israel had risen to the casion and had treated the •■ Arabs well, It might have nn-Jnt nr-w hope to the Arabs who lad already been within her jurisdiction for eight year*. But Israel his not risen to the occasion. As biilly off as they were when the IJgyptians held flaza, the refugees ar© even worse off now. That tficy have not faded away altogether is due, not to any nascent Israeli altruism, but to the pitifully meagre rations still allowed them by the United Nations. Food riots, economic paralysis, shop shutdowns, squalor heaped upon squalor—these have been the order of the day since Israel ocupled Gaza. Prior to the Gaza victory, there were already 200.000 Arabs in Israel—the Arabs who did not or could not flee when the new naUon came into being. Many of them live in or near Nazareth, and a visit among them confirms they are third and fourth class citizens. Of course, Israel claims reasons for denying to the Arabs many of the privileges which other citizens enjoy. "Every Arab In Israel is a potential part of the Arab fifth column which is .dedicated to helping our AVab neighbors destroy us," govern- mefct spokesman say. "Therefore, wej have to watch them and restrict them." they insis Iority of ause the hem to, t hem were FEW DARE SPEAK there are a few peopl* In ho dare to speak up fend say more. The most proml|cnt of these is Msgr. Georges Hakim, the Eastern Rite Archbishop of Galilee. Archbishop Hakim, an Arab who fought the foundation of Israel in 1948 bitterly, but now accepts Israel as a permanent fact, is presently allowed to Hay nearly whatever he likes. Formerly, the government tried to muffle him, but found he could not be kept silent For Msgr. Hakim considers himself the spokesman of all Arabs—Christian and Moslem alike—in Israel. "Xo matter what the government people say," Msgr. Hakim | began, "no matter how mich they insist that the vast ma- Arabs fled Israel /be- thelr own leaders urged the fact is that most of were terrorized out. "But we i-oiSil begin to forget that—if the Ajhibs who were left in Israel wire well treated. Israel says if wants to live in with its Arab neighbors. The best way to prove the sin- eerity of that stjitement would be to begin treating the Arabs Inside Israel decently. The Arabs hero could be a bridge to tho Arabs outside. Their conditions of life could be n demonstration of Israel's good faith to the Arab world. "There Is no religious discrimination against Arabs as such in Israel, but there Is real economic discrimination. It is so severe that in many cases It has reduced the Arabs to destitution. An Arab who wants to travel in Israel, even if only to find work, ittust be Issued a special pebnit w|ich he cannot always obtiin. Hfc free circulation Is prevented un4cr the pretext that military security will not permit Arabs, whose sympathies are suspect, to come ind go as they li*e. "Tlfe real reason why Arabs are restricted in their travel, especially to the cities. Is not for •military security" but to prevent them from competing for the good jobs. The Histradruth excludes them and discriminates against them." Government apologists claim that the Arabs are far better off now than they were before Israel became a state. They claim the govAnmcnt has improved Arab agriculture and medical care and has/ Introduced compulsory education. Archbishop Hakim retorts: "These advances apply to only 20 per cent of the Arab population. Tho other 80 per cent are miserable." 'ABSENTEE OWNERS' The Israeli government has progressively deprived the Arabs of their lands by passing a series of laws handing the properties over to Jewish settlers, Msgr. Hakim says. "The first law. passed in 1948, confiscated the property of all 'absentee' owners in Israel, and defined an 'absentee' as anyone w-ho fled his ordinary residence, even if he remained In Israel. Many of these Arabs were 'absentees' because they had simply been driven off their lands by terror gangs. Seventy to 80 per cent of the Arabs in Israel were declared 'absentees.' " Many of the Arabs not affected by the first law, Msgr. Hakim claims, were affected by tho "Uncultivated Land Law" of 1949. This provided that any land not used by the owners would be confiscated for five years. "But many Arabs not using their land were for tho most part prevented from getting/to it by the 'military security I restrictions agnluM them!" he declared. / Finally, ths) Israeli government crkctcd a new law in 1953 mkncnUy expropriating all laHd previously confiscated liv* years. "The original Arab owners were compensated at a rate that was not enough to buy most of them a fortnight's supply jof meat," Msgr. Hakim concluded. INFERIOR CITIZENS Shortly after speaking with sgr. Hakim, this correspondent met Abu Hanna, an Arab and one of the leaders of the Communist party in Nazareth, which is tho Communist stronghold of Israel. Nazareth sent two Arab Communists to the Knesset (Parliament) In the last election. Many Arab villages in Israel, as Abu Hanna said, are without electricity or the rudest requirements. (I visited several.) Even Arab policeman must carry a "B" card, signifying Inferior citizenship. Arabs do not receive equal pay for equal work. It soon became evident that the great number of Arabs in Israel who vote Communist do so, not ecause they understand what mmuntsm is, but because it is e only means of protest they ve against the government. 1
Object Description
Collection Name | Jewish Community Relations Council, Boston, Massachusetts |
Collection Number | I-123 |
Dates | 1957 |
Box Number | 129 |
Folder Number | 13 |
Subjects |
Antisemitism Civil Rights Social justice World War II |
Access | Request access |
Rights | User has an obligation to determine copyright or other use restrictions prior to publication or distribution. Please contact the archives at reference@ajhsboston.org or 617-226-1245 for more information. |
Language | English |
Source | American Jewish Historical Society-New England Archives, New England Historic Genealogical Society |
Description
Collection Name | Jewish Community Relations Council, Boston, Massachusetts |
Collection Number | I-123 |
Dates | 1957 |
Box Number | 129 |
Folder Number | 13 |
Subjects |
Antisemitism Civil Rights Social justice World War II |
Description |
Activities Israel and The Middle East Christian Attitudes and Reactions Sheehan, Edward R.F. |
Access | Request access |
Rights | User has an obligation to determine copyright or other use restrictions prior to publication or distribution. Please contact the archives at reference@ajhsboston.org or 617-226-1245 for more information. |
Language | English |
Transcript | Fourth Class ( BOSTONJkWTURDAY, JANUARY 19, 1957 |Archbishop of Galilee Mourns Life Of Fellow Arabs Under Israeli Rule i '(The author stfif in the Middle, ticlcs recording recently returned from an extended* Vast. This is the first in a series of ar- observations there.—Ed.) SDWARD R. F. SHEEHAN NAZARETH, Israel - - It conquering the Gas» Staip, Israel capturm 200,000 Arab tefugees who had fled eight years ago wlfen the new Jewish state was chopped out of Arab Palestine. • These refugees have endured t an unspeakable squalor and privation since 194 AI thou: to flee to smal escape few su "Hei the camps of Gaza many of them tried thward or crowded in- boats in attempts to recent Israeli invasion, eeded. an opportunity," com- J n lit th Is#el wl is mentcd the liberal Manchester Guardian, "for Israel to retrieve in some measure the good name she has sacrificed . . . Her enemies—and still more her friends —will judge her on how she- treats these unhappy people.' If Israel had risen to the casion and had treated the •■ Arabs well, It might have nn-Jnt nr-w hope to the Arabs who lad already been within her jurisdiction for eight year*. But Israel his not risen to the occasion. As biilly off as they were when the IJgyptians held flaza, the refugees ar© even worse off now. That tficy have not faded away altogether is due, not to any nascent Israeli altruism, but to the pitifully meagre rations still allowed them by the United Nations. Food riots, economic paralysis, shop shutdowns, squalor heaped upon squalor—these have been the order of the day since Israel ocupled Gaza. Prior to the Gaza victory, there were already 200.000 Arabs in Israel—the Arabs who did not or could not flee when the new naUon came into being. Many of them live in or near Nazareth, and a visit among them confirms they are third and fourth class citizens. Of course, Israel claims reasons for denying to the Arabs many of the privileges which other citizens enjoy. "Every Arab In Israel is a potential part of the Arab fifth column which is .dedicated to helping our AVab neighbors destroy us," govern- mefct spokesman say. "Therefore, wej have to watch them and restrict them." they insis Iority of ause the hem to, t hem were FEW DARE SPEAK there are a few peopl* In ho dare to speak up fend say more. The most proml|cnt of these is Msgr. Georges Hakim, the Eastern Rite Archbishop of Galilee. Archbishop Hakim, an Arab who fought the foundation of Israel in 1948 bitterly, but now accepts Israel as a permanent fact, is presently allowed to Hay nearly whatever he likes. Formerly, the government tried to muffle him, but found he could not be kept silent For Msgr. Hakim considers himself the spokesman of all Arabs—Christian and Moslem alike—in Israel. "Xo matter what the government people say," Msgr. Hakim | began, "no matter how mich they insist that the vast ma- Arabs fled Israel /be- thelr own leaders urged the fact is that most of were terrorized out. "But we i-oiSil begin to forget that—if the Ajhibs who were left in Israel wire well treated. Israel says if wants to live in with its Arab neighbors. The best way to prove the sin- eerity of that stjitement would be to begin treating the Arabs Inside Israel decently. The Arabs hero could be a bridge to tho Arabs outside. Their conditions of life could be n demonstration of Israel's good faith to the Arab world. "There Is no religious discrimination against Arabs as such in Israel, but there Is real economic discrimination. It is so severe that in many cases It has reduced the Arabs to destitution. An Arab who wants to travel in Israel, even if only to find work, ittust be Issued a special pebnit w|ich he cannot always obtiin. Hfc free circulation Is prevented un4cr the pretext that military security will not permit Arabs, whose sympathies are suspect, to come ind go as they li*e. "Tlfe real reason why Arabs are restricted in their travel, especially to the cities. Is not for •military security" but to prevent them from competing for the good jobs. The Histradruth excludes them and discriminates against them." Government apologists claim that the Arabs are far better off now than they were before Israel became a state. They claim the govAnmcnt has improved Arab agriculture and medical care and has/ Introduced compulsory education. Archbishop Hakim retorts: "These advances apply to only 20 per cent of the Arab population. Tho other 80 per cent are miserable." 'ABSENTEE OWNERS' The Israeli government has progressively deprived the Arabs of their lands by passing a series of laws handing the properties over to Jewish settlers, Msgr. Hakim says. "The first law. passed in 1948, confiscated the property of all 'absentee' owners in Israel, and defined an 'absentee' as anyone w-ho fled his ordinary residence, even if he remained In Israel. Many of these Arabs were 'absentees' because they had simply been driven off their lands by terror gangs. Seventy to 80 per cent of the Arabs in Israel were declared 'absentees.' " Many of the Arabs not affected by the first law, Msgr. Hakim claims, were affected by tho "Uncultivated Land Law" of 1949. This provided that any land not used by the owners would be confiscated for five years. "But many Arabs not using their land were for tho most part prevented from getting/to it by the 'military security I restrictions agnluM them!" he declared. / Finally, ths) Israeli government crkctcd a new law in 1953 mkncnUy expropriating all laHd previously confiscated liv* years. "The original Arab owners were compensated at a rate that was not enough to buy most of them a fortnight's supply jof meat," Msgr. Hakim concluded. INFERIOR CITIZENS Shortly after speaking with sgr. Hakim, this correspondent met Abu Hanna, an Arab and one of the leaders of the Communist party in Nazareth, which is tho Communist stronghold of Israel. Nazareth sent two Arab Communists to the Knesset (Parliament) In the last election. Many Arab villages in Israel, as Abu Hanna said, are without electricity or the rudest requirements. (I visited several.) Even Arab policeman must carry a "B" card, signifying Inferior citizenship. Arabs do not receive equal pay for equal work. It soon became evident that the great number of Arabs in Israel who vote Communist do so, not ecause they understand what mmuntsm is, but because it is e only means of protest they ve against the government. 1 |
Source | American Jewish Historical Society-New England Archives, New England Historic Genealogical Society |
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