More than 850,000 Jews were violently displaced from their homes in Iraq, Egypt and elsewhere after 1948. Their plight is often ignored

You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

Last week, we marked Jewish Refugee Day, a time to remember the displacement of over 850,000 Jews violently expelled from Arab and Muslim lands following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.

These Jews — who lived in Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, Yemen and elsewhere for centuries — were forced to leave everything behind amid waves of persecution, discriminatory laws and violence. Their displacement stands as one of history’s overlooked tragedies, one that profoundly altered the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Don't have an account? Create Account

Interestingly, Jewish refugees — both European and Sephardic — have been fully integrated into the societies to which they fled. Survivors of the Holocaust and those exiled from Arab lands rebuilt their lives in Israel, the United States, Canada, France and elsewhere, contributing immeasurably to their adopted homelands.

In stark contrast, Arab-Palestinian refugees have been kept in perpetual limbo, with their status maintained by organizations like the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which was specifically created to preserve their refugee designation.

Unlike Jewish refugees, who had no........

© National Post