1949 and 1951 Observations from Lebanon about Israel and the Palestinians
Today the US embassy opens in Jerusalem and tomorrow Israel celebrates its 70th year as a reconstituted modern state. The news is filled with pictures of violence between the Palestinians and Israelis on the border between Gaza and Israel. The contest between Israel and the Palestinians has never found a peaceful, mutually acceptable solution. Perhaps it will be of interest to consider the initial observations of an American missionary who was in Lebanon at the beginning of the dispute. On June 3, 1949, the Rev. Albert G. Edwards wrote a letter to the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions from the American Mission, Al Mina, in Tripoli, Lebanon, in which he contributed his unique perspective on "developments" in the Middle East. Edwards, grandson of the A.G. Edwards who founded the St. Louis-based brokerage firm by the same name, had spent the majority of his missionary career in Persia (now Iraq) and Iran. After serving in Brazil during World War Two, he and his wife, Marie, returned to Tripoli. They were Margaret Edwards Barker's (my mother-in-law) parents and I was given these letters by her.
..."During the time we have been here there have been some new developments. Most noteworthy has been the war in Palestine resulting in the establishment of the State of Israel. The Arab states attempted to prevent the establishment of the State of Israel, and war ensued. For a time there was a feeling of unity in the Arab world, but when the effort failed due to the better organization and equipment of the Jews, and the Arabs believe, also due to Jewish importation of arms during the first truce, while the Arabs could not obtain supplies from Europe, there was a feeling of frustration and a feeling that the United States, by President Truman's precipitate recognition of the State of Israel, had become the enemy of the Arab cause. I do not hear the subject mentioned as much now as I did, but I think that most people here feel that the Jewish State was organized by gangster methods.
A most serious consequence of the war is the fact that some 750,000 Palestinians are now refugees in the Arab States surrounding Palestine, and it looks as if the Jewish government will not, despite the United Nations, permit these refugees to return to their homes. This has meant much misery for these unsettled people, and has brought difficulty to the normal populations of the lands around Palestine, especially to Lebanon, for unemployment was far too general even before the coming of the refugees. The Jewish policy seems to be to encourage immigration into Palestine from Europe, thus making it certain that the refugees from Palestine will continue to be refugees, and in the opinion of some observers, so filling up Palestine with Jews that there will be a cry for "living room" to be taken from the neighboring states a la Nazi."
In a letter to his supporters on May 5, 1951, Edwards again shared his observations on the impact of the new State of Israel in the Middle East. He wrote:
"Because of the precipitate recognition of Israel by the United States Government, and because nothing has been done for the settlement of the several hundred thousand Palestinian refugees, all groups of the population in Lebanon, Christians of all sects, as well as Moslems, feel that the United States has shown itself their enemy. The people naturally feel sympathy of the thousands of refugees in Lebanon settled in great refugee camps, living on rations furnished by the United Nations, hardly more than is necessary for bare subsistence, and unable to get employment. Lebanon, feeling tremendous unemployment of its own people has none to offer, and furthermore they will not permit the refugees to have work, as to do so would increase Lebanese unemployment. These Palestinians are, many of them, becoming demoralized in their camps, with promises of return by some irresponsible Moslem agitators, and then alternating fear and despair that they will have no place to live. The situation is generally blamed on the United States, and has raised opposition to all things American and not least to the American Missionary enterprises."
Perhaps these small observations from the earliest days of the Palestinian refugee crisis will add to how we think about and pray until we find wisdom that will allow a true and lasting peace to impinge.
..."During the time we have been here there have been some new developments. Most noteworthy has been the war in Palestine resulting in the establishment of the State of Israel. The Arab states attempted to prevent the establishment of the State of Israel, and war ensued. For a time there was a feeling of unity in the Arab world, but when the effort failed due to the better organization and equipment of the Jews, and the Arabs believe, also due to Jewish importation of arms during the first truce, while the Arabs could not obtain supplies from Europe, there was a feeling of frustration and a feeling that the United States, by President Truman's precipitate recognition of the State of Israel, had become the enemy of the Arab cause. I do not hear the subject mentioned as much now as I did, but I think that most people here feel that the Jewish State was organized by gangster methods.
A most serious consequence of the war is the fact that some 750,000 Palestinians are now refugees in the Arab States surrounding Palestine, and it looks as if the Jewish government will not, despite the United Nations, permit these refugees to return to their homes. This has meant much misery for these unsettled people, and has brought difficulty to the normal populations of the lands around Palestine, especially to Lebanon, for unemployment was far too general even before the coming of the refugees. The Jewish policy seems to be to encourage immigration into Palestine from Europe, thus making it certain that the refugees from Palestine will continue to be refugees, and in the opinion of some observers, so filling up Palestine with Jews that there will be a cry for "living room" to be taken from the neighboring states a la Nazi."
In a letter to his supporters on May 5, 1951, Edwards again shared his observations on the impact of the new State of Israel in the Middle East. He wrote:
"Because of the precipitate recognition of Israel by the United States Government, and because nothing has been done for the settlement of the several hundred thousand Palestinian refugees, all groups of the population in Lebanon, Christians of all sects, as well as Moslems, feel that the United States has shown itself their enemy. The people naturally feel sympathy of the thousands of refugees in Lebanon settled in great refugee camps, living on rations furnished by the United Nations, hardly more than is necessary for bare subsistence, and unable to get employment. Lebanon, feeling tremendous unemployment of its own people has none to offer, and furthermore they will not permit the refugees to have work, as to do so would increase Lebanese unemployment. These Palestinians are, many of them, becoming demoralized in their camps, with promises of return by some irresponsible Moslem agitators, and then alternating fear and despair that they will have no place to live. The situation is generally blamed on the United States, and has raised opposition to all things American and not least to the American Missionary enterprises."
Perhaps these small observations from the earliest days of the Palestinian refugee crisis will add to how we think about and pray until we find wisdom that will allow a true and lasting peace to impinge.
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