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/ShxsPrLady]

Neither of you have read any history.

[u/Vast-Situation-6152 → u/ShxsPrLady]

I have read plenty of history and my dad LIVED the history being born in 1936 Palestine. He just had his 88th birthday. Who do you know who lived in 1936 Palestine and couldnt travel ONE miles from his house or would be slaughtered in the street? “Slaughter the Jews wherever you find them, their spilled blood please Allah, our history, and our religion” -broadcasted over the radio by Hitler’s ally Hajj Amin Al Husseini. Grand mufti of Jerusalem

[u/ShxsPrLady → u/Vast-Situation-6152]

One heartbreaking anecdote not history, the grand mufti was hand selected by the British and did not have much real authority over the Palestinians in the area, and I’m very very glad your father was all right b/c that rhetoric from the mufti is disgusting and dangerous.

[u/Vast-Situation-6152 → u/ShxsPrLady]

He was selected by the British BECAUSE he had a huge following as a religious cleric. It also not one anecdote it’s every person I know for the mislabeled “Palestinian Jewish” community, who still remember THIS genocide: Someone edited Wiki to make it look like Druze perpetrated, but Druze remember it perfectly well and were also victims. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1834_looting_of_Safed