When and How the Arabs and Muslims Immigrated to the Land of Israel—Period of British Rule, 1918–1948

About the Book

The Palestinian National Movement and its Palestine Authority aim to rewrite the history of the Land of Israel. They have developed several agendas about the history of the country. One agenda claims that they are the ancient population of the country they call Falstin (Palestine). The other claims said they settled in the country in 640; they have a history of 1,381 years. The Jews, they say, have no historical claim on that country; but another agenda claims that Jews did populate the country, but the Romans conquers never exiled the Jews two thousand years ago. The Jews converted to Islam during the Arab-Muslim occupation of the country (640–1099) and that the Palestinians are the descendants of these Jews and, therefore, the rightful heirs of the country. But the historical facts tell a different story. This book is the second volume of When and How the Arabs and Muslims Immigrated to the Land of Israel. The first volume deals with 640–1914 and brings evidence that most Palestinians are descendants of immigrants who came to the country from Arab and Muslim countries in small numbers during a slow process over hundreds of years; and between the end of the nineteenth century and First World War, their number grew by immigrant workers. This volume brings evidence that under the British Mandate rule (1918–1948), waves of Arab/Muslim immigrant workers entered the country illegally because of the British policy to ignore illegal immigration. The British mandate government actually ordered the Transjordan army responsible for controlling the borders to ignore illegal immigration. Also, the British Army brought Arab workers from Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon to build and work in their camps. The economic and employment opportunities created by the Zionist Movement, Jewish investors and immigrants, Christian organizations, and the British Mandate in the Land of Israel drew an increasing number of Arab immigrant workers. These opportunities were much better than those they had in their home countries.

About the Author

Rivka Shpak Lissak was born in Israel. She has a master’s degree in Jewish history and a doctorate in American history from the Hebrew University. She has taught history at Tel Aviv and the Hebrew University. She wrote six books in Hebrew and three books in English, among them When and How the Jewish Majority in the Land of Israel Was Eliminated (in Hebrew and English) and When and How the Jewish Diaspora Was Created in the Ancient Period (in Hebrew).