Iraqi Council Weighs Return of Jews, Rejecting It So Far.

[Jackie97]

Iraqi Council Weighs Return of Jews, Rejecting It So Far
By DEXTER FILKINS
The New York Times
BAGHDAD, Iraq
Feb. 27

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/28/international/middleeast/28CONS.html?pagewanted=2

“My feeling is, as long as the Palestinian problem exists, as long as there is a state of war, then we should not allow the Jews to return," said Muhammad Bahaddin Saladin, a member of the Governing Council. ‘The minister of defense in Israel is an Iraqi Jew. Should we let him return?’”

“Many council members said they favored restoring the revoked citizenship of Iraqis until the discussion turned to the Jews. Some said they were ardently opposed to the idea of allowing the Jews to return. Others said they were more concerned about whether the issue might isolate Iraq among its neighbors in the Arab world.
Council members said they ultimately agreed that that they would allow all Iraqis who had been stripped of their citizenship to return except for the Jews.”

“Dr. Haddad, a Manhattan ophthalmologist, said he had talked to hundreds of Iraqi Jews about the possibility of returning. "For so many of us, it is a dream to go back," he said.”


I think that this is related to the I/P issue because this is being used as the justification for not allowing the Jews back into Iraq. Also, I have to say that if people are going to advocate the right for the Palestinians to return to Israel/Palestine, then we need to also advocate for the rights of Jews to go back to Israel. I wasn't originally doing that because I didn't think that Jews wanted to go back, but now I am. I'm hoping that some of you all that advocate for the Palestinians feel the same way.

[Darranar]

1. In my opinion...

ALL of the refugees that fled during the course of the Middle East conflict should either get full compensation or the right to return to their homeland.

If the Iraqi Governing Council is willing to grant the full right of return for all non-Jewish refugees, I think they should do it for all Jewish refugees as well.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Agreed

Let's hope that when an Iraqi government worthy of the name assumes power, it will consider this proposal favorably.

[Violet_Crumble]

3. That's my opinion too...

I'd be interested in finding out the opinions of some who are totally opposed to the Palestinians having right of return or compensation, though. I don't see how it could be possible for someone to support the right of return or compensation for one group of people while trying to deny it to others...

Violet...

[number6]

5. I agree ...

..

[Gimel]

6. Compensation

Full compensation should be granted regardless of whether the individual who was forced to leave his property behind has the right of return. What kind of a choice is that? They can't have compensation if they return or if they don't. All they have to do is say they have the right to return. Return to what? Nothing there for them to return to.

[sushi]

4. This is a difficult issue

If we are for Iraqi Jewish refugees having the right of return to Iraq then we can't be against the right of return of Arab refugees to Israel, and we all know that the latter would be the end of Israel as a Jewish state before too long.

Besides, can anyone disagree that the (future) Iraqi government's duty is to make decisions in Iraq's interest? If letting Jewish refugees return to Iraq isolates Iraq among its neighbors in the Arab world, can we blame Iraq's government if it decides against it?