Monday 6 June 2011
Life Magazine pics of Arab army removing Jews in 1948 from Jerusalem
In 1948, Israel declared a state, the Arabs attacked, and Jordanian soldiers invaded the Old City and surrounding Jewish neighborhoods. Jordan gained control of the west bank and part of Jerusalem (it is the portion that was occupied by Jordan for 19 years that they now call "East Jerusalem"). As the Jordanian soldiers invaded Jerusalem, the Jews ran for their lives. As a result of the war, Jews were thrown out of the Old City and other areas of Jerusalem en masse (creating many Jewish refugees from "East Jerusalem" that no one ever talks about).
Between the end of Israel's war of Independence in 1949 and the six day war in 1967, the Jordanians controlled the area and they, along with UNWRA, transferred many Arabs into Jewish-owned property there. They also destroyed much Jewish property, including the famous Hurva Synagogue (recently rebuilt), approximately 38,000 graves in the ancient Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives, and a multitude of Jewish-owned homes, synagogues, and businesses.
The controversial Arab neighborhoods right outside the Old City that today the Arabs call Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan were actually Jewish neighborhoods. Sheikh Jarrah consisted of two Jewish neighborhoods known as Nahalat Shimon and Shimon HaTzadiq. The latter was purchased by Jews in 1876. Nahalat Shimon was built by Sephardic and Yemenite Jews in 1891. Sheikh Jarrah was primarily a Jewish neighborhood in the late 19th century and remained so up until 1948.
In March 1948, Arabs invaded the neighborhood and set the Jewish synagogues and houses on fire, causing the residents to flee. In April, the Hadassah Convoy massacre, where 79 Jews were murdered, took place in the neighborhood. Silwan, where Yemenite Jews had settled in 1882 (and where King David built the original Jerusalem) was also taken over, along with the Old city's Jewish quarter which was razed.
Life Magazine's Pictures of Jerusalem 1948
(all photos by John Phillips © Time Inc., Courtesy of LIFE.com)
Jewish girl, Rachel Levy, 7, fleeing from street w. burning bldgs. as the Arabs sack Jerusalem after its surrender. May 28, 1948. John Phillips
Jewish families being evacuated from city. June 1948. John Phillips
Jewish families leaving the old city through Zion's Gate. June 1948. John Phillips
Jewish people attempting to leave portion of city surrendered to Arab forces. Jerusalem, Israel. June 1948. John Phillips
Jewish people attempting to leave portion of city surrendered to Arab forces. Jerusalem, Israel. June 1948. John Phillips
Elderly Jewish man sitting in street after surrender of city. Jerusalem, Israel. June 1948. John Phillips
The next two photographs are remarkable.
This is before and after of the same place!
Jewish families waiting outside their homes to be evacuated by Arab troops. Jerusalem, Israel. June 1948. John Phillips
Looting in burning Jerusalem, John Phillips. June 1948
Jewish soldiers lying injured in hospital after surrender of city. Jerusalem, Israel. June 1948. John Phillips
Jewish soldiers lying injured in hospital after surrender of city. Jerusalem, Israel. June 1948. John Phillips
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