Systematic Looting
Commentary and Translation by Prof. Ilan Pappé
[A very important part of the ethnic cleansing operations in 1948 was the systematic looting of property: homes, fields and bank account, among other possession]. The government was unhappy with individuals looting the Palestinian properties and wanted to orchestrate this from above].
“15 June 1948
To Zvi [Zvi Ayalon, the deputy of the Israeli Chief of the General Staff since May 1948 and in charge of the Central Command, which included Jerusalem].
The Harel units [the Harel Brigade was entrusted with ethnically cleansing the Jerusalem]that left Jerusalem yesterday [on the way to Tel-Aviv] carried in their vehicles with them looted property which they pillaged in Jerusalem: refrigerators, carpets, furniture etc.
You have to approach them with the authority of the headquarters [of the army and tell them] that they should immediately provide a list of what they took, and brought with them, and where they put it – because the loot belongs to the army (the state) and not to individual soldiers or brigades, we will have to confiscate part of the loot. A swift and invigorated action is required here.
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David Ben Gurion. “