Speech #880207915

They were assured that within weeks they would be back to divide up the spoils of victory. When the Arab armies were defeated these Palestinian Arabs found themselves homeless. but in Arab territory. If the Arab states had then accepted the reality of Israels existence. many of the Arab refugees might have returned to their former homes. But. from the beginning. the Arab states refused to negotiate and make peace. Obviously. Israel could not afford to take a fifth column of disloyal and belligerent Arabs. They received shelter instead in U.N. camps along the borders of Israel and almost immediately became pawns in the bitter Arab struggle to dislodge and discredit the new State of Israel. As individuals. these refugees at once received American sympathy and help in generous measure. Primarily the victims of jealous Arab leaders and their own fright and uncertainty. the refugees were fed and cared for by the U.N.. and the United States paid most of the charges. Now. 16 years later. the situation has changed. First. more than half of the increasing number of refugees are under 15. therefore. they were not by birth Palestinians and have no memory of life in the former British mandate. Second. for 15 years. the Arab refugees have heard. through the idle days and desert nights. the voice of Arab imperialism and hatred for Israel. They have been told again and again over radio Cairo that Israel must be destroyed. The country that. under different circumstances might have become their homelandas it did become the homeland of those Arabs who ignored the Grand Mufti and remained in Israelinstead became the object of their burning hatred. Third. for political reasons. the Arab nations have chosen to exaggerate the hardship of these people by refubing to resettle them in Arab countries. and by holding out to them the illusion of ultimate return and repatriation in Israel. Although there is ample space in many Arab landsoutside of Egyptthe Arab States have refused to offer their countrymen and coreligionists a home. To Israel and to other nations which have opened their doors to destitute refugees. this heartlessness is difficult to comprehend. Yet the Arab States prefer to use these refugees. men. women. and children. as political pawns and to insist upon their repatriation in Israel rather than to make them welcome in Arab lands. Mr. President. to my mind that is the greatest tragedy of Palestine. and it is a tragedy that could so easily have been averted had the Arab leaders themselves shown any genuine concern for their unfortunate people who fled from Israel in (At thispoint the Acting President pro tempore resumed the chair.)