Palestinian leaders choose to hurt their people - just like in 1946

In 1946, the Arab League declared a boycott of Jewish businesses and services in Palestine.

Arabs in Palestine were instructed to not buy from Jewish merchants, not get services from Jews, not to go to Jewish doctors - even though there were not nearly enough Arab doctors to treat the Arab population.

The following articles show some of the trajectory of the boycott through 1946. Immediately, Jewish manufacturers and farmers looked to open up their markets to overseas customers, in Europe and the United States, and while some industries were somewhat hurt in the beginning, altogether Jewish exports rose significantly in 1946 compared to 1945.

Meanwhile, Arab League nations pretty much ignored the boycott themselves when there were goods they wanted. Arab boycotters started intercepting truckfuls of Jewish goods headed to Lebanon (and were arrested by the British for theft.)

Arabs in Palestine also mostly ignored the boycott, causing self-appointed enforcers to hreaten and injure (including with bombs) businesses that ignored the boycott.

Yet as two of these stories show, even the leaders of the boycott used Jewish goods when it suited them.

A boycott that was meant to hurt Jews ended up hurting only Palestinian Arabs. The people were the victims of the selfish decisions of their so-called "leaders" who themselves often ignored the boycott.


Bnai Brith Messenger, Friday, January 04, 1946

Bnai Brith Messenger, Friday, January 11, 1946

The Palestine Post, Tuesday, March 05, 1946

The Palestine Post, Monday, April 01, 1946;

The Palestine Post, Tuesday, July 23, 1946

The Palestine Post, Monday, August 26, 1946

The Palestine Post, Thursday, October 24, 1946; Page: 4

A similar thing is happening today. Palestinian Arab leaders are saying that they will boycott a conference that is meant to help their people economically. The people who are most affected by not attending don't get a say - they are pawns just as they were in the past. Just as in 1946, if any speak up, they are risking their lives. Just as in 1946, many of them certainly want to gain the benefits of working with Jews and massive investment that would help everyone - but their newspapers will not print their stories.

The main difference between then and is that so much of the world hates Trump and Israel that many people who pretend to want to help Palestinians are taking the side of their corrupt leaders over the actual Palestinian Arabs who will be hurt by not attending the conference.

Remember, attending the conference in Bahrain does not place any political obligation on Palestinians at all. It is purely meant for their benefit, with no downside - and their leaders refuse, anyway.

The only people who actually are showing interest in helping the day to day lives of Palestinian Arabs are the Trump team and Israel.

Of course there is an ulterior motive - people who are in better shape economically are less likely to become terrorists or support terror. Which means that those who opposed or disparage the conference are tacitly saying that they prefer terror to economic peace.

This is crazy. But this is the world we live in. And the people who pay the price, as always, are the Palestinian Arabs themselves.

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