The Palestinian-Israeli conflict has been a subject of intense global focus and discussion, while the challenges faced by Jewish communities in Arab nations have received significantly less attention. The recent revelations by a United Nations speaker highlight the importance of addressing this historical injustice and fostering a more comprehensive understanding of the intricate history of the region. The United Nations speaker’s disclosure has brought attention to Muslim countries, with a video of the event also gaining widespread recognition.
In the viral video, the UN speaker asks the members of the commission that prepared the report, particularly those from the Arab states, including Egypt, Iraq, and others, the following questions: “Can you please provide information on the current Jewish population in your respective countries? Additionally, could you share historical data on the Jewish communities that resided in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, and Morocco?”
According to him, the Middle East used to be full of Jews. Algeria had 140,000 Jews. Algeria, where are your Jews? Egypt had 75,000 Jews. Where are your Jews? Syria, you have thousands of Jews. Were, where are your Jews? Iraq, you had over 135,000 Jews. Where are your Jews?”
In the mid-20th century, a deliberate and organized effort was undertaken in Arab lands to forcibly uproot, harass, and instill fear in Jewish communities. This campaign resulted in the forced migration of hundreds of thousands of Jews from their residences in nations like Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, and Yemen. In addition to leaving their belongings, these individuals also left behind a rich cultural and religious legacy that had spanned centuries.
The UN speaker’s revelations underscore the importance of acknowledging and addressing the suffering of Jewish refugees from Arab countries. Just as the international community has recognized the rights and grievances of Palestinian refugees, it is imperative to extend similar recognition and restitution to Jewish refugees who were displaced during the same era.
After watching the viral video, different types of reactions have emerged from people. Just as the Jewish caste has been wiped out in other Muslim countries, similar questions have been raised about the Hindu caste.
One user writes, “Same as where are Hindus of Afghanistan Pakistan Bangladesh there is no answer.”
Another user writes, “Now replace the word Jewish with Hindus and countries like Egypt, Jordan, Libia, Iran, etc with Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, same story same situation.”
