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This Memorial Day commemorates the tragedy of people who were forced to flee from their homes and to leave the countries where they had lived for generations, solely because of their Jewish identity. Many were deprived of their belongings and many suffered from violence and persecution. Regina Bublil Waldman who was born in Lybia recalls the year 1967:
“When the Six Day War broke out between Israel and its Arab neighbours, I was 19 year old. My mother called me at work to tell me that thousands of people had taken to the streets rioting and burning Jewish properties. She begged me to find a hiding place, because it was too dangerous for me to return home.
One of the British engineers in the company agreed to hide me in his home. Incidentally, he was Christian. From my hiding place, I watched the fires consume my father’s warehouse. Killing people, rampaging and burning Jewish properties went on for days.
I lived in hiding for a month before returning home. All Jews were expelled and their property, including their bank accounts, was expropriated by the government. We were only allowed to take a few suitcases and very little money.
The day we left, armed soldiers put us on a truck to escort us “safely” to the airport. Instead, they dumped us on the side of the road. We boarded an airport bus, which then stopped in the middle of the desert. The driver said that there was engine trouble and the conductor allegedly went to get help and left us alone, once again. I looked to my father for support, but he was frozen in horror. I darted off the bus and ran to find help. As I ran my whole body shook with fear, but anger drove me forward.
When I reached the gas station, the conductor was holding the phone. After struggling with him, I snatched the phone out of his hand and called the British engineer who had hidden me. I turned to leave but now, the door was blocked by three men, including the conductor. I was petrified. My throat tightened. My heart was pounding. I forced my way through the door and ran back to the bus.
Gasoline was everywhere, the driver held a box of matches in his hand. The plan was to burn the bus with my family in it. Just then, the British engineer drove up. My family jumped into his car and we sped off to the airport. Upon arrival, the porters refused to load our luggage and spit on us. Our flight took us to Rome, Italy, where my family still lives."
The story of the expulsion of entire Jewish communities from Arab lands is an important part of modern Jewish history that profoundly affected the Jewish nation as a whole as well as the demographic composition of the Middle East and North Africa. This is a story that has to be told.
Current research estimates that the number of Jews living in Arab countries and Iran totaled more than 850,000 at the time of Israel’s independence. Some scholars even think the number is closer to one million. In the North African region, 259,000 Jews fled from Morocco, 140,000 from Algeria, 100,000 from Tunisia, 75,000 from Egypt, and another 38,000 from Libya. In the Middle East, 135,000 Jews were exiled from Iraq, 55,000 from Yemen, 34,000 from Turkey, 20,000 from Lebanon and 18,000 from Syria. Iran forced out 25,000 Jews.
The mass violation of the human rights of the Jews from Arab lands has never been adequately addressed by the UN and the international community. Recognizing the rights of the Jews from Arab countries is a call for justice, fairness and the acknowledgement of historical truth in the search for Middle East peace.