I’ve only read “Jerusalem: The Biography” by Simon Sebag-Montefiore. I loved it and have recommended it often. So, I write this with considerable trepidation and the expectation of being corrected, but…
I believe Dr. Montefiore is wrong on several points.
It’s possible that he’s unaware of the document:
Migration of Eretz Yisrael Arabs between December 1st 1947 and June 1st 1948
This is a primary source contemporary report produced by the Zionist military intelligence apparatus during the 1948 war. It has been translated into English by the Akevot Institute and can be accessed in full here:
It casts serious doubt on Dr. Montefiore's account in several ways.
Haifa: Dr. Montefiore claims that Zionist leaders urged the Arab population to remain. The report identifies the Zionist military operation of 22 April 1948 as the major cause of Haifa's exodus. It specifically describes the effectiveness of shelling, loud explosions and Arabic-language loudspeakers in frightening residents into flight.
Jaffa: Dr. Montefiore similarly claims that Zionist leaders wanted Jaffa's Arabs to remain. The report identifies operations by Irgun and Lehi as having a decisive influence on the evacuation of Jaffa and its surrounding countryside.
Safed: Dr. Montefiore recounts Mahmoud Abbas's family fleeing because they feared Jewish reprisals, and states the Zionist forces did not drive Safed's Arabs out. The report records Safed's evacuation on 10 May 1948 as resulting from its military occupation. It also identifies the fall of Safed as the cause of further evacuations in surrounding villages.
Direct expulsions: Dr. Montefiore acknowledges that expulsions occurred but stresses that many Palestinians simply fled. The report records explicit evacuation orders, military expulsions and instances where Palestinians who returned to previously evacuated villages were expelled again by Zionist forces.
The geography of displacement: Dr. Montefiore suggests that direct expulsions were concentrated in central Palestine. The report documents military-induced displacement across Galilee, Haifa, Jaffa, Jerusalem and the southern coastal plain. This challenges the geographical impression he creates, although it does not by itself disprove his narrower claim about where most direct expulsions occurred. The report also records that, by early June 1948, approximately 122,000 Palestinians had been displaced from territory allocated to the proposed Arab state under the UN Partition Plan - at least 70 villages. A further 30,000 were displaced from Jerusalem, which was intended to be internationally administered. The report documents Zionist military operations as causes of displacement in these localities. Displacement was not confined to territory allocated for Jewish statehood.
Orders from Arab leaders: Montefiore cites encouragement from Arab leadership as an explanation for the exodus. The report attributes only approximately 5% of village evacuations to orders from Arab institutions or armed groups. It also records that the Arab Higher Committee attempted to prevent Palestinians from leaving, including through restrictions, penalties and public appeals.
The principal cause of Palestinian displacement: Dr. Montefiore emphasises Palestinians fleeing out of fear or following encouragement from Arab leaders. The intelligence report explicitly concludes that Zionist military operations and their consequences were responsible for approximately 70% of the displacement and describes Zionist military action as the decisive factor.
Dr. Montefiore places considerable weight on the distinction between fleeing and being forcibly expelled. The intelligence report demonstrates that people could flee without being physically expelled but their departure was nevertheless caused by Zionist military attacks, intimidation, the destruction of neighbouring communities or the collapse of local defences.
Indeed, the report's authors write:
“The impact of ‘Jewish military action’ (Haganah and Dissidents) on the migration was decisive, as some 70% of the residents left their communities and migrated as a result of these actions.”
The report covers displacement up to early June 1948, not the entire Nakba, and its estimates should not be extrapolated.
Nevertheless, it is a valuable contemporary assessment from the Zionist military intelligence apparatus itself that has been quoted from extensively by historians such as Benny Morris.
It establishes the predominant cause of displacement as Jewish military action and its consequences. Which is substantially different from the impression Dr. Montefiore gives in this interview.
There is, of course, one unalterable fact suggesting the true intentions of the Zionist forces - almost none of the displaced Palestinians or their descendants have ever returned.
The story of the 1948 Haganah Intelligence Report documenting the causes of Palestinian displacement, how it contradicts so much of the accepted narrative and why it was suppressed for 30+ years.
Loved this episode. This could’ve been a Rogan style 3.5 hour episode and I’d have listened straight through.
Also Michael i need a concrete excuse to become a paying subscriber. It could be a bad concrete excuse, like you’ll be posting pieces you start writing but don’t finish. I’m okay paying for your crap! It’s just I can’t bring myself to pay when i get all the content anyway, and while I’m paying for the 5th and for half your friends’ podcasts too.
So just put yourself on the hook for something you’re already half doing anyway, and charge me for it!
Ha. Well...more writing and other things coming soon (i know...promises, promises). Just trying to find the damn time to finish the 30 half-finished pieces...
Moynihan always manages to make even a boring guest interesting, but when he has one as knowledgeable and brilliantly communicative as Simon Montefiore, it's great listening. Plan to ge the book.
He is brilliant. I think Obama (along with so many other people) would benefit from listening to him after Obama's remarks in Ireland yesterday demonstrated how little he knows about the Middle East and his refusal to learn about it.
I'm so happy with my subscription. He has a voice I could listen to for a long time. Today I just learned about the Yevseksiya, the Jewish communist group during the Bolshevik revolution and their conflict with their fellow religious Jews in Russia. I'll have to see if Montifiore covers this in one of his books.
I’ve only read “Jerusalem: The Biography” by Simon Sebag-Montefiore. I loved it and have recommended it often. So, I write this with considerable trepidation and the expectation of being corrected, but…
I believe Dr. Montefiore is wrong on several points.
It’s possible that he’s unaware of the document:
Migration of Eretz Yisrael Arabs between December 1st 1947 and June 1st 1948
This is a primary source contemporary report produced by the Zionist military intelligence apparatus during the 1948 war. It has been translated into English by the Akevot Institute and can be accessed in full here:
https://www.akevot.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/1948ISReport-Eng.pdf
It casts serious doubt on Dr. Montefiore's account in several ways.
Haifa: Dr. Montefiore claims that Zionist leaders urged the Arab population to remain. The report identifies the Zionist military operation of 22 April 1948 as the major cause of Haifa's exodus. It specifically describes the effectiveness of shelling, loud explosions and Arabic-language loudspeakers in frightening residents into flight.
Jaffa: Dr. Montefiore similarly claims that Zionist leaders wanted Jaffa's Arabs to remain. The report identifies operations by Irgun and Lehi as having a decisive influence on the evacuation of Jaffa and its surrounding countryside.
Safed: Dr. Montefiore recounts Mahmoud Abbas's family fleeing because they feared Jewish reprisals, and states the Zionist forces did not drive Safed's Arabs out. The report records Safed's evacuation on 10 May 1948 as resulting from its military occupation. It also identifies the fall of Safed as the cause of further evacuations in surrounding villages.
Direct expulsions: Dr. Montefiore acknowledges that expulsions occurred but stresses that many Palestinians simply fled. The report records explicit evacuation orders, military expulsions and instances where Palestinians who returned to previously evacuated villages were expelled again by Zionist forces.
The geography of displacement: Dr. Montefiore suggests that direct expulsions were concentrated in central Palestine. The report documents military-induced displacement across Galilee, Haifa, Jaffa, Jerusalem and the southern coastal plain. This challenges the geographical impression he creates, although it does not by itself disprove his narrower claim about where most direct expulsions occurred. The report also records that, by early June 1948, approximately 122,000 Palestinians had been displaced from territory allocated to the proposed Arab state under the UN Partition Plan - at least 70 villages. A further 30,000 were displaced from Jerusalem, which was intended to be internationally administered. The report documents Zionist military operations as causes of displacement in these localities. Displacement was not confined to territory allocated for Jewish statehood.
Orders from Arab leaders: Montefiore cites encouragement from Arab leadership as an explanation for the exodus. The report attributes only approximately 5% of village evacuations to orders from Arab institutions or armed groups. It also records that the Arab Higher Committee attempted to prevent Palestinians from leaving, including through restrictions, penalties and public appeals.
The principal cause of Palestinian displacement: Dr. Montefiore emphasises Palestinians fleeing out of fear or following encouragement from Arab leaders. The intelligence report explicitly concludes that Zionist military operations and their consequences were responsible for approximately 70% of the displacement and describes Zionist military action as the decisive factor.
Dr. Montefiore places considerable weight on the distinction between fleeing and being forcibly expelled. The intelligence report demonstrates that people could flee without being physically expelled but their departure was nevertheless caused by Zionist military attacks, intimidation, the destruction of neighbouring communities or the collapse of local defences.
Indeed, the report's authors write:
“The impact of ‘Jewish military action’ (Haganah and Dissidents) on the migration was decisive, as some 70% of the residents left their communities and migrated as a result of these actions.”
The report covers displacement up to early June 1948, not the entire Nakba, and its estimates should not be extrapolated.
Nevertheless, it is a valuable contemporary assessment from the Zionist military intelligence apparatus itself that has been quoted from extensively by historians such as Benny Morris.
It establishes the predominant cause of displacement as Jewish military action and its consequences. Which is substantially different from the impression Dr. Montefiore gives in this interview.
There is, of course, one unalterable fact suggesting the true intentions of the Zionist forces - almost none of the displaced Palestinians or their descendants have ever returned.
I will pass it along!
Thank you. Any feedback?
The story of the 1948 Haganah Intelligence Report documenting the causes of Palestinian displacement, how it contradicts so much of the accepted narrative and why it was suppressed for 30+ years.
https://pilgrimofhope.substack.com/p/suppressed-nakba-document?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=6fzf4p
Loved this episode. This could’ve been a Rogan style 3.5 hour episode and I’d have listened straight through.
Also Michael i need a concrete excuse to become a paying subscriber. It could be a bad concrete excuse, like you’ll be posting pieces you start writing but don’t finish. I’m okay paying for your crap! It’s just I can’t bring myself to pay when i get all the content anyway, and while I’m paying for the 5th and for half your friends’ podcasts too.
So just put yourself on the hook for something you’re already half doing anyway, and charge me for it!
Ha. Well...more writing and other things coming soon (i know...promises, promises). Just trying to find the damn time to finish the 30 half-finished pieces...
Moynihan always manages to make even a boring guest interesting, but when he has one as knowledgeable and brilliantly communicative as Simon Montefiore, it's great listening. Plan to ge the book.
Loved the interview and reminded I need to actually read that massive tome of his I own
He is brilliant. I think Obama (along with so many other people) would benefit from listening to him after Obama's remarks in Ireland yesterday demonstrated how little he knows about the Middle East and his refusal to learn about it.
Great guest, great interview.
Best line from the interview: “…historians, or intellectuals, or people like you.” NAILED IT
I'm so happy with my subscription. He has a voice I could listen to for a long time. Today I just learned about the Yevseksiya, the Jewish communist group during the Bolshevik revolution and their conflict with their fellow religious Jews in Russia. I'll have to see if Montifiore covers this in one of his books.
Can these videos be uploaded to Substack (the the 5th) instead of embedded YouTube vids?
Great interview! Really happy with my subscription keep them coming.