Expulsion of Palestinian refugees from Israel – Letter from Iraq to SecGen

Letter dated 5 March 1949 from the Government

of Iraq, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, addressed

to the Secretary-General of the United Nations

and transmitted for the information of the

Conciliation Commission

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs presents its compliments to the Secretary-General, United Nations and has the honour to communicate that reports of a grave nature were received by the Iraqi Government to the effect that Zionist gangs are expelling the Arab population comprising, children and aged men from Zionist occupied regions in Palestine.

A — Two such groups. Arabs were expelled by Zionists, one consisting of 17 persons most of whom were women and children, and the other of 42 persons all of whom were men who took refuge with Iraqi forces stationed at the Zabounah and Aara regions; they were machine gunned by the Jewish forces as they were proceeding to the Iraqi front lines. The Iraqi Military authorities who harboured these refugees in the Jenin area have informed the delegations of the International Red Cross Committee at Ram-Allah and the Truce representatives at Nablus of the two incidents in order that contact be made with the refugees and full particulars obtained — special rolls are prepared showing their names and the areas from which they have come.

B — 250 Arabs, all being women, children and disabled persons, have been driven away to the Jenin area.

C — 170 disabled Arabs and children were driven away from their homes to Jenin and had to take refuge with Iraqi forces stationed in that sector.

It is clear that there is strong evidence that Zionists are putting into effect a determined policy of expelling piecemeal all the children and disabled Arabs from their homes and lands to the obligation of their maintenance.

The Iraqi Military authorities have communicated this information to the International Red Cross Committee so as the necessary steps be taken to stop the recurrence of such Zionist crimes against humanity in defiance of the principles of International law.

In view of the inevitable repercussions of such acts resulting in dispersing the Arab population the majority of whom are women and children, as well as the unavoidable increase in the number of refugees, the Iraqi Government lodges the strongest protest against this savage treatment of helpless, unarmed peoples and requests that speed and effective measures be taken immediately to prevent the recurrence of these inhuman deeds.

The Ministry avails itself of this opportunity to renew the expression of its highest consideration.