Vital to remember this ethnic cleansing

We should like to alert your readers to the fact that this week, Jewish groups worldwide have been marking Remembrance Day for Jewish Refugees from Arab Countries and Iran.

Only one per cent of the Arab world’s 1948 Jewish population remains. Yet the silence at this egregious case of “ethnic cleansing” has been deafening.

It is 69 years since riots broke out against the Jews of Syria, Bahrain and Aden. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the expulsion of 25,000 Jews following the Suez crisis in Egypt.

We, the undersigned ex-Jewish refugees from Arab countries and activists, demand recognition of the rights of these Jews dispossessed and driven out by violence and state-sanctioned persecution.

They and their descendants form over 50 per cent of Israel’s Jews.

Any peace settlement omitting justice for Jewish refugees would not attract consensus in Israel.

The Israeli parliament is bound by law to sign an agreement that includes compensation for Jewish refugees.

As long as the Palestinian leadership vaunts a “right of return” to Israel, the 850,000 Jewish refugees stand as a reminder that “resettlement” in Palestine or in host countries, not “return”, is the humanitarian solution to the Palestinian refugee problem. The resolution of both issues is fundamental to any lasting peace between Israel and the Arabs. Rabbi Elie Abadie Levana Zamir President, Coalition of Organisations of Jews from Arab Countries ( Israel) Chairperson, Jews from Egypt, and 17 other signatories