www.alanhart.net
I find myself wondering how many of our present day leaders, President Obama in particular, are aware of what happened in Palestine on 10 March 65 years ago.
On that day in 1948, two months before Israel’s unilateral declaration of independence in defiance of the will of the organized international community as it then was at the UN, Zionism’s in-Palestine political and military leaders met in Tel Aviv to formally adopt PLAN DALET, the blueprint with operational military orders for the ethnic cleansing of Palestine.
They did not and never would refer to the crime they authorised as ethnic cleansing. Their euphemism for it was “transfer”.
As noted in an excellent anniversary briefing paper by IMEU (the American-founded Institute for Middle East Understanding), from the earliest days of modern political Zionism its advocates grappled with the problem of creating a Jewish majority state in a part of the world where Palestinian Arabs were the overwhelming majority of the population.
The earliest insider information we have on Zionism’s thinking is from the diary of Theodor Herzl, the founding father of Zionism’s colonial-like enterprise. He wrote:
“We shall try to spirit the penniless population across the border by procuring employment for it in the transit countries, while denying it any employment in our own country… expropriation and the removal of the poor must be carried out discreetly and circumspectly.”
Those words were committed to paper by Herzl in 1895 but they were not published (in other words they were suppressed) until 1962.
By August 1937 “transfer” was a discreet but hot topic for discussion at the 20th Zionist Congress in Zurich, Switzerland. All in attendance were aware that the process of dispossessing the Palestinian peasants (the fellahin) mainly by purchasing land from absentee owners had been underway for years. Referring to this David Ben-Gurion, who would become Israel’s first prime minister, said:
“You are no doubt aware of the (Jewish National Fund’s) activity in this respect. Now a transfer of a completely different scope will have to be carried out. In many parts of the country new settlement will not be possible without transferring the Arab fellahin…Jewish power (in Palestine), which grows steadily, will also increase our possibilities to carry out this transfer on a large scale.”
A year later Ben-Gurion told a meeting of the Jewish Agency that he supported compulsory transfer. He added:
“I don’t see anything immoral in it.”
In my view that’s a most revealing statement. It tells us – does it not? – that Ben-Gurion, the Zionist state’s founding father, was a man with no sense of what was morally right and wrong.
Joseph Weitz was the director of the Jewish National Fund’s Lands Department which was responsible for acquiring the land for Zionism’s enterprise in Palestine. One of his diary entries for December 1940 reads as follows:
“There is no way besides transferring the Arabs from here to the neighbouring countries, and to transfer all of them, save perhaps for (the Arabs of) Bethlehem, Nazareth and Old Jerusalem. Not one village must be left, not one (Bedouin) tribe. And only after this transfer will the country be able to absorb millions of our brothers and the Jewish problem will cease to exist. There is no other solution.”
Plan Dalet called for:
“Mounting operations against enemy population centres located inside or near our defensive system in order to prevent them from being used as bases by an active armed force. These operations can be divided into the following categories:
“Destruction of villages – setting fire to, blowing up, and planting mines in the debris – especially those population centres which are difficult to control continuously.
“Mounting search and control operations according to the following guidelines: encirclement of the village and conducting a search inside it. In the event of resistance, the armed force must be destroyed and the population must be expelled outside the borders of the state.”
Before the Zionist state declared itself to be in existence on 14 May 1948, more than 200 Palestinian villages had already been emptied and about 175,000 Palestinians were already refugees. Some had fled in fear; others were expelled by Zionist forces.
The prime fear factor was the slaughter by Zionist terrorists of more than 100 Palestinian men, women and children at Deir Yassin near Jerusalem. As Arthur Koestler was to write, the “bloodbath” at Deir Yassin was “the psychologically decisive factor in the spectacular exodus of the Arabs from the Holy Land and the creation of the Palestinian refugee problem.”
It was, however, Menachem Begin, Zionism’s terror master and subsequently prime minister, who provided the most vivid description of how well the slaughter at Deir Yassin served Zionism’s cause. In his book The Revolt, he wrote:
“Panic overwhelmed the Arabs of Eretz Israel. Kolonia village, which had previously repulsed every attack of the Haganah (the underground Jewish military organization that became the Israeli Army), was evacuated overnight and fell without further fighting. Beit-Iksa was also evacuated. These two places overlooked the road and their fall, together with the capture of Kastel by the Haganah, made it possible to keep open the road to Jerusalem. In the rest of the country, too, the Arabs began to flee in terror, even before they clashed with Jewish forces… The legend of Deir Yassin helped us in particular in the saving of Tiberias and the conquest of Haifa… All the Jewish forces proceeded to advance through Haifa like a knife through butter. The Arabs began fleeing in panic, shouting ‘Deir Yassin!‘”
Three decades later, in an article for The American Zionist, Mordechai Nisan of the Truman Research Centre of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem expressed his concern about the failure to understand the major significance of terrorism in the struggle for Jewish sovereignty. He wrote: “Without terror it is unlikely that Jewish independence would have been achieved when it was.”
After the Zionist state declared itself to be in existence, its government set up an unofficial body known as the “Transfer Committee”. Its job was to oversee the destruction of Palestinian towns and villages and/or their repopulation with Jews. The purpose of this Zionist strategy was to prevent dispossessed Palestinians returning to their homes.
By 1949 more than 400 Palestinian towns and villages had been systematically destroyed or taken over by Israeli Jews; and at least 750,000 Palestinians were refugees, dispossessed of their land, their homes and their rights.
In his book The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, Ilan Pappe, Israel’s leading “revisionist” (meaning honest) historian, documents in detail Zionism’s systematic reign of terror which, from December 1947 to January 1949, included 31 massacres. (Deir Yassin was only the first). In a videoed conversation with me in 2008, which can be viewed in the Hart of the Matter series on my site (www.alanhart.net), Ilan said this:
“Probably more surprising than anything else was not the silence of the world as Zionist ethnic cleansing was taking place in Palestine, but the silence of the Jews in Palestine. They knew what had happened to Jews in Nazi Europe, and some might even have seen it for themselves, yet they had no scruples in doing almost the same thing to the Palestinians.“
On this 65th anniversary of the authorization of the ethnic cleaning of Palestine, the questions I would like to see put to our leaders today, President Obama in particular, are the following:
Are you aware of Plan Dalet?
If not, why not?
If you are aware of it, could it not said be said that your refusal to call and hold Zionism to account for its crimes makes you (and your predecessors) complicit in those crimes by default?
Alan Hart has been engaged with events in the Middle East and their global consequences and terrifying implications – the possibility of a Clash of Civilisations, Judeo-Christian v Islamic, and, along the way, another great turning against the Jews – for nearly 40 years… Alan is author of Zionism: The Real Enemy of the Jews – http://www.alanhart.net
16 responses to “Zionism's ethnic cleansing of Palestine by Alan Hart”
Dr Omar,
I ‘ve been working in the middle east for 6 years. none of my arab colleagues can answer me the question of palestine. for strange reason, Malaysians believe we can do something about it. no disrespect to the Malaysian people, but, even the Arabs government could only pay lip services while watching their brothers and sisters slain by the Zionists. it is time we realize this reality.
zulhelmi.
Salaam Brother Zulhelmi, Like the Egyptians in 1967, Arabs in 1948-49 were completely ‘unprepared’ and incapable of a concerted response. Many, in fact, were in collusion for profit. Many were fascists as well, including the MB. There is no true Muslim leadership, all is in chaos. That is why Prophet wslm must return. – oz
Salam Dr Omar,
you just summed it up what my Arab colleagues could not answer. economically, middle east region is rich in natural resources, I wonder what could happen if this region is united and return to Islam as Deen. prosperity and just only can be restored when the imam and prophet isa return.
We are badly in need of a real Saladin but what we get mostly are “Saladins” in a tin can.I do not know whether this Zionism is real or just a diversion but what i do know is that the killing of Palestinians is real.Is what is happening in Palestine the same as what has happened to Al-Andalus(Andalusia)?.A tried and proven methodology perhaps?.
Salaam Brother,
Muslim division and leadership corruption is the problem brother, in this realm as well as in the realm of banking. If Sala’u’din were here, he’s probably be arrested under ISA. – oz
I’m of the opinion that what we need is not a Saladin but another Al-Ghazali. What is happening I believe is the modern version of what the Ahl-Kalam and the Grecian-leaning philosophers did to Islam at Al-Ghazali’s age. Except that instead of disruption of Islam on an spiritual/eschatological level, its happening on a societal and economic level. We don’t need to raise up arms and fight a war, at least not at the moment, but rather look inside and what is broken within the system.
Even if Saladin himself were to rise from his grave and lead the Muslims, he could not do so because of the sheer brokeness that exists in Islamic society. We lack the eschatological understanding of Islam, the issue of faith and tauheed is barely talked about, while the system itself is actively undermining Muslims physically (as in, in worldly matters) that spirituality does not factor into their daily life due to the current intellectual and emotional strife.
We’re as of this moment is pathetically weak in our societal understanding of the Islamic thought that we’re being blown by the winds of political and economic manipulation no serious effort can be actively mustered to fight outside interference. Our so-called Imam and Sheikhs is as influenced by western views that they are no more that your modern teenagers following the current trends that is hip and cool. And with them we’re given two choices that are both wrong; a modernization and liberalization of Islam that is western-palatable, or the extremist blood-thirsty modern Jihadist mentality that violently lash out to any non-Islamic forces. That is the lie that we have been fed and both path leads to our destruction. Is not Islam the religion of Moderation?
What I believe is that we should look back at Islamic history and follow the footsteps of what that have been proven to be successful. Ask ourself, what did the Prophet do? When he was driven from Mecca and lost his home, did he lash out to the more powerful Quraishy and fought a losing war? No, he retreat to a country and build Medina which became the powerbase for Muslims, educate the new Muslims in the ways of Islam and strengthened Islam on the economic and societal level that when the Quraishy attacks, the Muslims, by the will of God, were able to repulse them with superior strategy and tactics as well as superior morale and spirit.
As of right now we’re at that junction, there is no ‘true’ Muslim country and as such we have no powerbase. On the strategic level, even if Saladin were to come, from where would he get his support? Now is not the time to be pushing out external forces but to look within ourselves and our society and fix what has been corrupted. A new shift in thinking is required, a philosophy that is not reactive to the wills of the west (or even east!) but an active philosophy and thought that is in-line with what God decreed.
Salaam Brother Paradigm…. I couldn’t agree with you more. If you have any other essays or other articles, please feel free to contact me for posting. Do you have a website? Thanks Again… Wasalaam – oz
Ah sorry doc, but I’m more of a free agent putting my thoughts. Not qualified enough to do anything serious, honestly. Maybe in the future if Allah is willing.
Salam Paradigm Shift!!.There is a saying among the people of this age,we get the rulers whom we deserve,meaning that in so far as we are wicked,treacherous and dishonest,they are unjust like us.This is erroneous.Good men are good through the instrumentality of Kings and that the conduct of mankind varies with their conduct.Have not you remarked how people will describe a city as one whose inhabitants do not complain of one another and are not maltreated by their Sultan?.It is not because of their own excellence but because of the excellence of the Sultan,that no complaint is heard from anybody,and if this Sultan who has not been receiving complaints does eventually receive one from somebody,(the fact will be) that the inhabitants did not previously have any complaints to make.You should understand that the piety of a people depends on the good character of the King.He must keep an eye on the activities of his subjects,small or great,and never connive at evil-doing on their part.He must honour the virtuous and reward good-doers,and he must restrain evil-doers from their wickedness and punish their evil-doing,regardless of their status.The people will then choose to act virtuously and refrain from evil.When the King is incapable of enforcing discipline and tolerates evil doers,his affairs will go to ruin along with theirs.The character of subjects springs from the character of Kings,for the common people,royal officials and troops become good or bad through the instrumentality of their Kings inasmuch as they acquire their habits from them.The quality that Kings need the most is correct religion because monarchy and religion are like brothers.The King needs it equally whether he is in health or sick.He must be diligent in matters of religion,performing the duties at the proper times,avoiding eccentricity and innovation,shunning unjust and immoral actions.There is a saying among the sages that the people of an epoch resemble their Kings more than they resemble their epoch.There is a saying also in the Traditions that the people follow the religion of their Kings.Desertion and ruin of a territory result from two things,royal weakness and royal tyranny,each of which causes hardship among the yeomen.Saladin was not just a military man but also a Sultan,wasn’t he?.
Ah yes brother, you are correct, but so is Mr. Paradigm, in as much as the scholars are meant to keep the Sultans in line and accountable; thereby permitting the trickle down effect of righteousness and goodness you speak of. However, in this day and in this age, we have neither at the top of our leadership across the grand arc of crisis that now plagues the entire ummah and world. is this not the effect of ALLAH swt having withdrawn righteous teachers as predicted by the prophet? – oz
Salam Dr Omar!!.Everything there is in the universe exists through Allah’s(SWT) will and pleasure.Things few or many,small or great,good or evil,profit or loss,imperfection or perfection,distress or ease,sickness or health,occur solely because they have been predestined,willed,judged and decreed by Him.If all the humans,jinns,devils and angels in the universe joined in an attempt to move,fix,diminish or increase a single molecule in the universe,they would be too weak to be able to do so unless He so willed.Whatever He wills comes into being and nothing he has not willed exists.No person or thing can avert this.Everything that is,was or will be,has been predestined by Him.His command is valid and obligatory for all creatures.Everything that He proclaims,all His promises and threats are real.His word is His command.
Ameeen . . .
Well, if I’m not mistaken (correct me if I’m wrong), Saladin was not born a Sultan rather had to usurp the position of the Sultan that was unwilling to commit to the defence of the Quds. I recall a story where Saladin used his role as a governor to stop prayers to the ruling family of his time as a way to gauge the temperament of the people (a wise decision on his side) and as there was no objection, he wisely assumed that the people themselves has no love for the ruling dynasty of the time. Not only that, Saladin also have religious support amongst the scholars who was chafing at the lack of action against the franks in Quds.
This is the interesting part; we can draw example from the Chinese concept of the mandate of heaven (the closest, but entire imaccurate analogue) to Saladin’s strategic and political advantage that he managed to acquire by being righteous. The chinese mandate state that a dynasty is only as powerful if they follow the various guidelines set by Confucian thought; similarly, the office of the Caliph/Sultan is a secular office backed by religious laws and thoughts. That is why the term used was Amr, not Malik, which implies his position as a manager of the people, under the aegis of an ever-more powerful advisors (the ulema and elders) who enforces the will of the the people followed by the constitution and laws of the establishment (the Quran and the Hadith). In the case of Saladin he managed to gain the support that he needed because the Ulema of the time was very much in-tune with the contemporary issues vis-a-vis the laws set upon by Allah and his Prophet.
That is to say, the Sultan is indeed as powerful as the people, but the people must themselves be individually a confident and righteous as a Muslim. THAT is where the scholars and jurists comes in.
In contrast, our jurists and scholars are swayed by the whims of the west, their thoughts controlled by the language and context set by people who seek to either tame, or is that fail, demonize Islam. Our weak minded scholars tend followed their rhetoric based on this ideologue and anyone who tries to rise and seek to break the shackles of Western cultural Imperialism will be shot down automatically within using this rhetoric.
Look at how beautifully the Saudi (one might not agree with them, but we can all agree that the game they played as exquisitely done) manoeuvre themselves into a position of so-called Protectors of the Religion, and using the rhetorics set by the west, anyone who seek to break their powerbase will declared as fasiq or munafiq, haters of Islam. If you want to understand the game that they play, we can simply look at the academic system of peer-review and how the spread of information is being controller. By adapting to the orientalist rhetorics, the Wahhabi powerbase can effectively control how an idea is said.
I know this sounds a bit rambling, but the issue here is so muddied and defiled that our weakness is not a singular issue altogether. Our language of the religion has been defiled, our methods of interpretation corrupted that we have to restructure our whole approach of thinking so we may reassert ourself into a position of intellectual pro-activity, instead of reactively adapting ourself to the western rhetoric. The fact that we have to rely one the western’s idealogue of political and economic system (The Khalifah is NOT a monarchy, and neither our method of governing capitalist OR socialist) shows how weak we have become as a people.
This is why I choose to say Al-Ghazali. His Magnum Opus Ihya Ulm Ad-din (the Revival of Religious KNOWLEDGE) managed to break the shackles of Grecian idealogue and rhetorics espoused by the Mutakallimun that we hardly refers to the likes of Plato or Socrates in the Islamic discourse of this age. This is what we need; to create an untainted discourse within Islam.
PS: I’m still young and am still learning, so if there is a mistake or weakness in my comments please educate me.
Salam,Mr Paradigm.The Saladin that i know of understands both meanings.Saladin is a Desperado that would attempt anything to bring the DEEN back.Saladin did not intend to gauge the temperament of the people but rather tired and disappointed with both the knowledgeable and unknowledgeable,with the incompetency of it all.As far as he is concerned,Saladin is a one man show and he certainly ain’t Irish!!.Saladin does not need “FENG-SHUI” induced tutelage or support but rather depend on the grace of Allah(SWT).If Saladin makes a mistake,he apologizes.Saladin believes in enacting change at the top but others have different opinions,such as running into the desert to recuperate.Saladin is exhausted in attempting to learn philosophy because to him,all philosophy is based on supposition and notion.Saladin believes the problems are many but it is better to tackle the root causes.To him,the question is no longer about winning or losing but rather of response.Of how his response will be look upon in the sight of Allah(SWT).Whether his condition is good or his condition is bad,challenges will ultimately come,in small or large measures.Saladin likes to reflect and the answer is in the “SALAT”.And that is the history of Saladin in a nutshell as i understand it.
“Do not ever think that we conquered territories by your swords; we did so by the pen of Judge al-Fadili.” -Sala’u’din
Salaam Brother…. Sala’u’din wasa man’s man, as you have just said. But the conviction he carried came by way of the Scholar. Today, there are just too few such as Judge al-Fadili. – oz
Salam Dr Omar!!.I was waiting for someone to say that statement,”Do not ever think that we conquered territories by your swords,we did so by the pen of Judge Al-Fadili”.We don’t need the current scholars.For the moment,all of us have to assume both responsibilities.The Salat is not a ritual,everytime you stepped into the Salat,five times daily or more,you are an operationally ready soldier for Allah(SWT).Just reflect on the verses that you are reciting!!.