The Jews Stole The Land

Many people claim that

Claim

The Jews stole the land from the Palestinians and expelled them, ethnically cleansing the land.

Reality

Land ownership during the Ottoman empire

Prior to the 19th century, most lands within the Ottoman Empire were officially considered to be owned by the Sultan. While farmers may have traditionally or religiously viewed themselves as landowners, formal land ownership records were not systematically maintained. The 19th century brought significant reforms, including the initiation of land registration and the introduction of a new land code in 1858. For various reasons, this led to a portion of privately-owned lands coming under the ownership of wealthy merchants, though the majority remained state-owned.

Furthermore, due to capitulation agreements, non-Muslim residents were also permitted to purchase land.

In the region of what is now Israel, much of the coastline was uncultivated, generally deserted, and afflicted by malaria. These areas were often classified as "Mewat" or "Mahlul" (dead or fallow land), making the Ottoman authorities more amenable to their sale for development.

As the Zionist movement gained momentum, both individuals and dedicated organizations began actively purchasing land. Driven by the changed regulations, both Muslim and Jewish entities acquired properties. Jewish organizations, in particular, bought extensive tracts along the coastline—areas largely considered unsuitable for habitation.

Some of the acquired lands were indeed cultivated by local farmers (Fellahin). While these farmers were not the official owners, they were typically well-compensated to vacate the land. By the beginning of the British Mandate, Jewish organizations had purchased approximately half a million dunams (around 120,000 acres). This figure quadrupled by the end of the British Mandate period.

It is important to note that, unlike common belief, until the end of the British Mandate, no lands were forcibly seized or "stolen" from Arabs by Jews.

The source of the narrative

There are two things that serve as the basis to this false narrative and are being used by Anti-Israelis

• Evacuation of Farmers (Fellahin): In some instances, farmers (Fellahin) who worked on lands they did not legally own were displaced when those lands were legitimately sold to Jewish buyers. While such cases occurred, they were not widespread. The Peel commission report addressed this directly, stating:

Quote

The shortage of land is due less to purchase by Jews than to the increase in the Arab population. The Arab claims that the Jews have obtained too large a proportion of good land cannot be maintained. Much of the land now carrying orange groves was sand dunes or swamps and uncultivated when it was bought.

• Displacement during the War of Independence (1948): During the 1948 War of Independence (referred to as "Nakba" by Palestinians), some villages were forcibly evacuated, while residents of other villages fled and were not permitted to return after the conflict. This widespread displacement was largely a consequence of the intense and ongoing aggression and violence between the two sides. The nascent Jewish state harbored fears that these displaced populations could pose a hostile threat, a concern exacerbated by events such as the blockage on Jerusalem