From Time Immemorial

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This monumental book, the result of seven years of original research, will change the debate regarding the conflicting claims of Arabs and Jews in the Middle East. Historian and journalist Joan Peters presents comprehensive evidence that addresses crucial questions, such as why Arab refugees from Israel are perceived differently than other displaced peoples post-World War II, including Jewish refugees from Arab countries. Peters provides startling answers that challenge both sides of the argument. She reveals that Jews did not displace Arabs in Palestine; rather, Arabs displaced Jews. A significant Arab migration occurred into areas settled by Jews before the establishment of Israel, and many so-called Palestinian refugees had foreign roots. For every Arab refugee who left Israel in 1948, there was a Jewish refugee fleeing or expelled from their Arab birthplace, contributing to today's Sephardic majority in Israel. Additionally, Britain, as the Mandatory power, facilitated Arab immigration into Palestine while restricting Jewish immigration, which had dire consequences for European Jews during the Holocaust. Peters also dismantles the myth of harmonious coexistence between Jews and Arabs in the Arab world, highlighting centuries of oppression faced by Jews. Her extensive research and firsthand observations have significantly impacted discussions on this complex issue, previously clouded by misinformation.