IN THE MEDIA

Letter: Inaccurate Beersheba claims

Nov 10, 2017 | Jamie Hyams

Letter: Inaccurate Beersheba claims
news_item/Beersheba-Centenary-Australian-Lighthorse-Battlefield-Tours.jpg

Letter in The Mercury (Hobart)

 

Peter Boyer (“History bent to shape to fit Anzac devotion” November 7) claims Beersheba had never been a Jewish town. In fact, it was founded by Jews in biblical times, and has a Hebrew name, meaning Seven Wells. The reason it had few Jews up to 1947 is that they had been driven out in Arab rioting.

When the UN partitioned the British Mandate area into a Jewish state and an Arab state, the Jews accepted the partition, albeit reluctantly, while the Arabs, both local and in neighbouring states, refused, instead invading Israel from all sides.

While the town of Beersheba was part of the proposed Palestinian state, it was right on the border, and the Egyptian army made it their headquarters, making it a legitimate military target for Israel. However, Israel did not, as Boyer claims, expel the Arab residents – they left with the Egyptians when Israel threw out the Egyptians.

Boyer also says Israel was the result of European meddling and Holocaust guilt, but it is actually the realisation of the internationally recognised Jewish right to have a state in their ancient homeland, where they have lived for thousands of years.

 

Jamie Hyams

Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council

Tags:

RELATED ARTICLES


A room in Herod the Great's palace near Jericho (image: Flickr/Ian Scott)

Is UNESCO Going to Erase Jewish History From Another Israeli City?

Sep 11, 2023 | Featured, Fresh AIR, In the media
Iran Protests (52383779726)

Australia must do more about Iran

Aug 25, 2023 | Featured, Fresh AIR, In the media
Image: Shutterstock

Australia’s government has taken an anti-Israel stance

Aug 16, 2023 | Featured, In the media
Image: Shutterstock

Labor’s Israel shift is a blow to peace and our credibility

Aug 15, 2023 | Featured, In the media
Image: Shutterstock

Ill-conceived posturing on Palestine is undermining Australia’s reputation as a trusted peace broker

Aug 14, 2023 | Featured, In the media
Israel and Palestinian territory divided by the security wall (Image: Shutterstock)

Australia’s Middle East decision ill-conceived

Aug 10, 2023 | Featured, In the media

SIGN UP FOR AIJAC EMAILS

RECENT POSTS

Israeli tanks in the Sinai Desert, 1973 (Image: Public domain)

From 1973 to Israel’s next war

Image001

The Last Word: Jeremy Jones – In Memoriam

Clinton appreciated Netanyahu’s political skills, but the two were divided over some key policy issues, leading to a tense relationship (Image: Shutterstock)

Essay: Bibi’s seven presidents

Destined to be an iconic landmark: The new National Library of Israel (Image: Herzog & De Meuron/ National Library of Israel/ Twitter)

Biblio File: Unique monument for the “People of the Book”

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah (Image: Shutterstock)

Deconstruction Zone: US outreach vs. Iranian aggression

Israeli tanks in the Sinai Desert, 1973 (Image: Public domain)

From 1973 to Israel’s next war

Image001

The Last Word: Jeremy Jones – In Memoriam

Clinton appreciated Netanyahu’s political skills, but the two were divided over some key policy issues, leading to a tense relationship (Image: Shutterstock)

Essay: Bibi’s seven presidents

Destined to be an iconic landmark: The new National Library of Israel (Image: Herzog & De Meuron/ National Library of Israel/ Twitter)

Biblio File: Unique monument for the “People of the Book”

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah (Image: Shutterstock)

Deconstruction Zone: US outreach vs. Iranian aggression

SORT BY TOPICS