Military Documents Reveal Ethnic Cleansing Tactics Used by Israeli Forces in 1948

The Hebrew newspaper Haaretz has reported on the release of military documents that indicate Israeli forces employed methods of intimidation, terrorism, and ethnic cleansing during the 1948 war. These documents, which have recently been made public, reveal that certain commanders and troops resorted to violent tactics to compel residents to abandon their homes.

According to the report, one document quotes Maxim Cohen, the commander of the Carmeli Brigade at the time, stating that the evacuation of villages was achieved through instilling fear among the inhabitants. He noted that the success of Israeli forces was largely due to the terror inflicted on the Arab population.

Additionally, Haim Ben David, who served as the operations officer for the same brigade, indicated in the documents that the expulsion of residents was a common practice, systematically carried out despite not being officially acknowledged. He further mentioned that, although aware of international laws, there were instances where these laws were disregarded, and illegal means were utilized.Another document features testimony from Mordechai Maklev a senior officer on the northern front referencing operations conducted in several villages and towns including Safsaf Jish Ibilin Lod and Ramla. His statements emphasize that the objective of these operations was to displace the residents asserting that without widespread coercion the relocation of large populations would not have been feasible.

The report also highlights the re-publication of parts of these documents by Elisha Yerd an activist from the so-called ‘Youth of the Hills’ movement in the West Bank known for its radical settler positions. He remarked that the establishment of the Israeli regime’s government was impossible without the expulsion of Arabs asserting that the victory in 1948 was a direct result of the fear generated among the population.

The 1948 war which coincided with the declaration of the Israeli regime’s establishment led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people an event referred to as ‘Nakba’ by the Arab population. The release of these documents has reignited discussions regarding the nature of military operations during that period and their humanitarian consequences within media and political circles.