TENE Document
Commentary and Translation by Prof. Ilan Pappé
As this website is a work in progress, the full translation of this particular document, which is very long, is only brought here with partial translation.
This document was prepared by TENE (a fruit basket in Hebrew), the codename for the intelligence service of the Haganah and by the time this published the Haganah was part of the new IDF. Even this very limited quote from it indicates clearly how these documents refute categorically the Israeli propaganda about the Nakba.
Here are major points that emerge clearly from this document.
· The Israeli myth still propagated today the myth that is still accepted by the mainstream media and politics in the West that the Palestinians became refugees as a result of the Arab “invasion” of the Jewish state on 15 May 1948. It is clear from the document that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians became refugees even before one Arab soldier entered Palestine. Later, when the whole document is translated there will be a clearer indication of how many towns and villages were depopulated by Zionist forces prior to 15 May 1948; namely before the entrance of regular Arab armies into Palestine. It is not only the numbers that show the magnitude of the ethnic cleansing prior to 15 May; it is also the percentage as they appear in this document. More the 80% of land, people and houses disappeared with the UN Jewish State even before the war has started.
· The second notable issue is the way the document enumerates the causes for the ethnic cleansing. The document leaves no doubt that it was mainly and overwhelmingly the Israeli expulsion policies, with the various methodologies, that caused the Palestinian exodus.
· The third issue is about Haifa. Even recent more liberal Israeli historiography claims that Haifa was an exception and there were no expulsions there. This document proves without doubt that as in the case of other towns, the main cause for their de-population was the Zionist ethnic cleansing operations.
As you can see, I left the Zionist jargon intact in my translation (terms such as “immigration” and “Eretz Israel” for instance).
The Document:
The Immigration Movement of the Arabs of Eretz Israel in the period 1.12.47-1.6.48
2. Basic Numbers
On the eve of the partition resolution within the Hebrew State there were
1. 219 Arab villages.
2. Four towns with Arab population in them (Haifa, Tiberias, Safad and Bisan).
3. Within the Hebrew state there were 190,000 Arabs in the villages and 92,000 in the four towns. There were 60,000 Bedouins. All in all, 342,000.
The Volume of Immigration (including the Jenin area and the Negev)
1. 180 depopulated villages.
2. Three totally empty towns and one, Haifa, only 5000 left.
3. 152,000 immigrated from the rural areas.
4. 87,000 immigrated from the urban areas.
5. Bedouins did not immigrate at all.
6. All in all, 239,000 left the state of Israel.
In Percentage
1. 82% of the Arab rural localities were deserted
2. 80% of the population of the rural areas has left.
3. 94% of the Arab urban population in the Hebrew State has left.
4. 0% of the Bedouins had wandered outside of the state
The volume of immigration from the Arab State plus Jerusalem
1. At least 70 Arab villages were evicted in the (intended) Arab state.
2. 3 Arab towns were totally evicted (one of them Jenin totally evicted, 4000 remained in Acre and 4,600 in Jaffa).
3. 2 Arab towns were only partly evicted (al-Lid and Ramlah) [they would be evicted as we know later in the summer of 1948).
4. 50,000 villagers left and wandered out of the Arab state.
5. 72,000 city dwellers left and wandered out of the Arab state.
6. The overall number of Arabs immigrating from the Arab state, 122,00.
7. 30,000 Arabs immigrated from Jerusalem.
8. In total, 152,000 Eretz Israel Arabs immigrated from their places of residence in the territory outside of Israel.
TIMINGS AND STAGES
In sum, the massive immigration movement of the Arabs of Eretz Israel was in the month of April-May. May was the peak of the movement. This when the immigration, namely the flight, of the Arabs happened.
CAUSES FOR THE IMMIGRATION
It is clear that economic hardship did not cause this immigration…
It is also clear that pure political decisions did not cause this immigration…if it all it had limited impact in the towns [what the authors means is that there was no Arab or Palestinian decision to encourage people to go out or maybe also meaning that they absolve the politicians on the Zionist side from taking such a decision]
There are 11 causes for the immigration. They are presented according to their importance
1. Direct hostile Jewish activity against Arab places.
2. Indirect influence of our activity in neighbourhoods close to where the immigrants used to live (particular relevant to the fall of nearby centres of major towns).
3. Acts by the “dissidents” [namely, the Stern Gang and the Irgun].
4. Orders from Arab units and commanders.
5. Jewish whispering campaigns to cause the local population to flee [namely psychological warfare threatening the local population of a dire consequences should they not leave].
6. Ultimatum orders of eviction [by Israeli forces].
7. Arab fear from a Jewish retaliation as a result of a major Arab operation
8. The appearance of foreign troops in the vicinity.
9. Fear of an Arab invasion (mainly near the borders).
10. Isolated Arab villages in populated Jewish areas.
11. Local factors and a general fear of things to come.
DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE FACTORS
1. There is no doubt that the hostilities [namely Zionist attacks] were the main cause for the immigration. A wave of immigrations grew in every part in which our activity grew. And as we increased our activities in May [1948], this month was blessed with the vast eviction of places. The British departure played a role, but only by allowing us a free hand…
Not always the strength of the assault was the main factor. Other accompanying factors played a role. The surprise attack, the relentless bombing with huge explosions, using loudspeakers in Arabic proved their efficiency in places where they were properly used (mostly in Haifa!). [This is highly important as even recent historiography claims that Haifa was an exception and there was no expulsion there. This document proves without doubt that as in the case of other towns, the main cause for their de-population was the Zionist ethnic cleansing operations].
However, it was proven that no less important than our direct actions, were actions in nearby spots. When one village was attacked by us and evicted it swept the other villages as well.
[the whole document will be translated soon]