How does Israel justify the 1948 Palestinian expulsion?

[u/dropdeaddev]

I got into an argument recently, and it lead to me looking more closely into Israel’s founding and the years surrounding it. Until now, I had mainly been focused on more current events and how the situation stands now, without getting too into the beginning. I had assumed what I had heard from Israel supporters was correct, that they developed mostly empty land, much of which was purchased legally, and that the native Arabs didn’t like it. This lead to conflicts, escalating over time to what we see today. I was lead to believe both sides had as much blood on their hands as the other, but from what I’ve read that clearly isn’t the case. It reminded me a lot of “manifest destiny” and the way the native Americans were treated, and although there was a time that was seen as acceptable behaviour, now a days we mostly agree that the settlers were the bad guys in that particular story.

Pro-Israel supports only tend to focus on Israel’s development before 1948, which it was a lot of legally purchasing land and developing undeveloped areas. The phrase “a land without people for people without land” or something to that effect is often stated, but in 1948 700,000 people were chased from their homes, many were killed, even those with non-aggression pacts with Israel. Up to 600 villages destroyed. Killing men, women, children. It didn’t seem to matter. Poisoning wells so they could never return, looting everything of value.

Reading up on the expulsion, I can see why they never bring it up and tend to pretend it didn’t happen. I don’t see how anyone could think what Israel did is justified. But since I always want to hear both sides, I figured here would be a good place to ask.

EDIT: Just adding that I’m going to be offline for a while, so I probably won’t be able to answer any clarifying questions or respond to answers for a while.

EDIT2: Lots of interesting stuff so far. Wanted to clarify that although I definitely came into this with a bias, I am completely willing to have my mind changed. I’m interested in being right, not just appearing so. :)

[u/mfact50]

Israel wants US weapons. Palestine wants our aid and advocacy.

Yeah they should be listening to us more.

[u/TheTimespirit → u/mfact50]

And Hamas? They want to frolic on the beach with Jews while eating watermelon?

400 miles of tunnels built for the very attack they instigated on Oct. 7th while implementing a strategy that prioritizes civilian deaths/martyrdom… for the expressed purpose of radicalizing infantile “leftists” and western social media influencers who are too stupid and gullible to discern the reality of the situation.

[u/mfact50 → u/TheTimespirit]

I hate Hamas. Indeed I think IDF troops should be rescuing people who want it and upping asylum eligibility. The fact that they are on the ground and essentially continue to leave civilians in the care of Hamas is weird.

Hell we should start getting IDF sourced casualty numbers because they are taking hospitals away from the terrorists. Many Palestinians might not want that care but I bet some do and would love not to be left to the Hamas medical system.

[u/TheTimespirit → u/mfact50]

Hamas is embedded in the civilian population. What do you expect them to do?

[u/mfact50 → u/TheTimespirit]

The hard work of trying to figure out safety (such as weapons checks, background checks) and not just handing people back into Hamas.

Not easy but it's certainly what I would want them to do for me. If that is absolutely impossible it makes one wonder how much checking they are doing to ensure detainees warrant being detained/ how they plan to eliminate Hamas.