by Shlomo Cesana
"To me it seems the Nakba has been transformed from a humanitarian issue to a political one, to perpetuate the current situation as leverage on Israel. It is time to put the hatred and alienation behind us," says Deputy Ambassador George Deek.
Israeli Deputy Ambassador to
Norway George Deek
|
Photo credit: George Deek  |
Israeli Deputy Ambassador to Norway George
Deek is a Christian Arab has called on disbanding the notion of the
Nakba, or "Catastrophe," as many Arab nations refer to Israel's
establishment in 1948.
Deek, the son of refugees from Jaffa, has
lectured throughout Europe on his family's history, and has called on
others who left or were deported from Jaffa after 1948 to let go of the
Nakba concept.
"When I walk through my birthplace, Jaffa, I
think about the fishermen's beach in 1948, about my house in Ajami
[neighborhood] and the stories I heard about those years," Deek said in a
lecture uploaded recently to YouTube.
"My grandfather George, after whom I was
named, lived in Jaffa with his family for 400 years. He married Vera, my
grandmother, and a few months later their plans changed. The United
Nations recognized Israel and a few months later the State of Israel was
formed. The Arab leaders warned that anyone who stays will be murdered
by the Jews and they suggested running away. They said that armies of
five Arab nations would destroy Israel and we would be able to return to
our homes.
"The war ended with an Arab failure. [They]
did not succeed in destroying Israel. Since 1948, there have been
numerous occasions, including now, of refugees being kicked out of their
homes."
Deek questioned why the displacement in Israel is the only one to be called the Nakba.
"Why are Poles, Iraqis and others not mentioned by the
international community and the U.N., but the Nakba is? To me it seems
the Nakba has been transformed from a humanitarian issue to a political
one, to perpetuate the current situation as leverage against Israel. It
is time to put the hatred and alienation behind us."
Shlomo Cesana
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=20639
Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.
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