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Last week we celebrated Jewish Refugee Day, a time to remember the displacement of more than 850,000 Jews violently expelled from Arab and Muslim lands after the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.

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These Jews – who have lived for centuries in Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, Yemen and elsewhere – were forced to leave everything behind amid waves of persecution, discriminatory laws and violence. Their displacement constitutes one of the neglected tragedies of history, one that has profoundly changed the Middle East and the Jewish world.

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Interestingly, Jewish refugees – both European and Sephardic – were fully integrated into the societies to which they fled. Holocaust survivors and exiles from Arab countries have rebuilt their lives in Israel, the United States, Canada, France and elsewhere, contributing immeasurably to their adopted countries.

In contrast, Arab-Palestinian refugees have been kept in perpetual limbo, their status maintained by organizations such as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), specifically created to preserve their refugee status.

Unlike Jewish refugees, who had no dedicated agency to facilitate their resettlement, Palestinian refugees remain in so-called camps in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Gaza and the West Bank – kept there as political tools to weaken Israel.

This disparity underscores a political agenda: Arab states, which expelled their Jewish citizens, have also refused to permanently settle Palestinian refugees, thereby perpetuating a narrative of victimization. Meanwhile, Jewish refugees quietly rebuilt their lives, receiving little international recognition or compensation for their losses.

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Jewish communities in Arab countries, far from being “backward” as some stereotypes suggest, were highly cultured, educated and an integral part of the economies and societies of the Middle East. These communities produced extraordinary people who shaped the world. From Moses Montefiore, a British financier and philanthropist, to Doña Gracia Nasi, a Portuguese Renaissance business leader and patron of Jewish exiles, the Sephardic world has a remarkable heritage. The contributions of Maimonides, a prolific medieval philosopher, jurist, physician and writer, remain fundamental to Jewish thought and Western intellectual history. Benjamin Disraeli, British Prime Minister and novelist, exemplified Sephardic excellence in politics and literature, leaving a profound legacy in British history.

These great leaders highlight the extraordinary heritage from which the Sephardic world comes. In Baghdad, where Jews once made up a third of the population, in the bustling Jewish neighborhoods of Cairo, and in the thriving communities of Casablanca, Jewish life was vibrant and sophisticated. However, with the creation of Israel, these communities faced escalating anti-Semitism (sound familiar?), violence, and systemic exclusion. Entire families were forced to leave quietly, under the cover of night, abandoning their homes, businesses and centuries of history.

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Most sought refuge in Israel, where the nascent state faced the monumental challenge of absorbing waves of immigrants. Others resettled in Western countries like France and Canada, where they started again. Despite the difficulties, these refugees rebuilt their lives with remarkable resilience and made a significant contribution to the development of their new homeland.

While Arab-Palestinian refugees dominate international discourse, the plight of Jewish refugees remains largely ignored. They received no compensation for their confiscated property and their stories are often omitted from narratives about the Arab-Israeli conflict. Yet their unresolved grievances are key to understanding the full scale of displacement in the Middle East.

To address these historic injustices, five steps must be taken. First, there must be formal recognition of the plight of Jewish refugees from Arab countries and the injustices they endured. Second, compensation for the properties and assets they left behind must be a priority in any future international agreement. Third, educational initiatives should highlight the contributions of Sephardic communities to the Arab world and their adopted countries, thereby combating harmful stereotypes. Fourth, Jewish refugees must be included in discussions about reconciliation in the Middle East. Finally, efforts to preserve and celebrate their rich cultural heritage must be intensified to ensure that future generations understand their heritage.

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As we reflect on Jewish Refugee Day, it is clear that the Arab-Israeli conflict has displaced Jewish refugees who have been largely forgotten. Addressing this imbalance is not only a matter of historical accuracy, but also a step toward justice.

The integration of Jewish refugees into their host countries testifies to their strength and determination. In contrast, the deliberate perpetuation of Palestinian refugee status reveals a cynical use of human suffering for political ends. Recognition of the plight of Jewish refugees from Arab countries is essential in any peace agreement.

National Post

Avi Abraham Benlolo is the founder and CEO of Abraham Global Peace Initiative.

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