tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12677825.post3341343807732072386..comments2024-03-14T02:22:26.957+00:00Comments on Point of No Return: Jewish Refugees from Arab and Muslim Countries: Jewish refugees must have congressional hearingsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12677825.post-29619685383615675592015-09-17T16:56:16.928+01:002015-09-17T16:56:16.928+01:00No, 800,000 is usually the figure quoted (not incl...No, 800,000 is usually the figure quoted (not including Iran). You are correct that Jews lived in Arab lands far longer than half a millennium and were certainly in Palestine for hundreds of years. But I don't agree with you on the 'right of return', a right that actually does not legally exist for refugees. To ask for a right of return for Jewish refugees to Arab lands delegitimises Israel. Israel's Law of Return is something different - each state has a right to determine who can and who cannot be a citizen. Ireland, Japan, and other states fast-track their diaspora people to citizenship. Agree with you the ME conflict is a religious/ideological one.bataweenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15829104245735619972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12677825.post-20967141462158847042015-09-17T15:14:49.297+01:002015-09-17T15:14:49.297+01:00First of all, the number of Jews expelled from ara...First of all, the number of Jews expelled from arab lands far exceeds the estimate given here. Secondly, in arab Levant countries, Jews existed in communities long before mohammed or christ; not the half a mellenium stated. In Iran/Iraq for example perhaps close to 3000 years. Finally, under #5 the UNRWA statement, I find fault with the logic used as if we say the offspring of refugees have no right of return then we are de-legitimizing the return of Jews to Israel as well. My preference is to state that there clearly are no survivors (as of say 1830) of the original raping murdering hordes of omar who took OUR land from the Byzantines. Surely there is a family or two which can trace back to ottoman times their settlements in Israel, but I contend there is not one family that can trace their history as far back as salladin (while there are Jewish families that can!). Abbas clearly reiterated the other day that the muslims problem with the State of Israel IS a religious one, an anti-Semitic one, and not a political contest. This, along with historical FACT well before the 20th century, should be focused on when discussing Jewish refugees from arab lands. Yes, we don't want to offend anyone, but how is cowering from the TRUTH going to help!James Kaplanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02716886480710682708noreply@blogger.com