OPINION: 99 percent of Jews from Arab lands were forced to leave. The world must hear us

On 11 September, Levana Zamir, born in Cairo and expelled from Egypt in 1949, addressed the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, her voice unwavering as she spoke for nearly one million Jews expelled from 11 Muslim countries across the Middle East and North Africa. Her testimony was not just a personal account of loss and resilience; it was a demand for recognition of a history too often overlooked. Zamir has dedicated her life to advocating for Jewish refugees from Muslim countries. Her journey to Geneva, despite the challenges of age and distance, was a call for truth, justice, and, ultimately, reconciliation.

Yet, before any meaningful reconciliation can take place, the world must confront a fundamental reality: Jewish communities have deep, ancient roots in the Middle East and North Africa. For more than 2,500 years—long before the rise of Islam—Jews lived, worked, and contributed to the societies of the region. Their presence predates the Arab-Islamic conquest by a millennium. To ignore this history is to erase centuries of existence and to perpetuate a dangerous misunderstanding of the region’s past.

The Arab-Islamic conquest marked a turning point for these communities. For over a thousand years, Jews lived as “dhimmis”—second-class citizens subjected to social, legal, and economic discrimination. Despite these hardships, Jewish communities persisted, weaving themselves into the cultural and economic fabric of their homelands. They built synagogues, schools, and businesses; they contributed to literature, science, and commerce. Their story is not one of outsiders, but of people indigenous of the region.

It was only in the 20th century, with the rise of Arab nationalism and growing opposition to Zionism, that the situation for Jews in these countries became untenable. State-sanctioned repression, violence, and systematic dispossession forced nearly one million Jews to flee lands their families had called home for generations. Today, fewer than 13,000 Jews remain in the ten Arab countries and Iran where they once thrived—a staggering 99% reduction. This mass displacement stands as one of the largest cases of ethnic cleansing in modern history, yet it remains largely unacknowledged by the international community.

A recent five-year study by Justice for Jews from Arab Countries (JJAC) meticulously documents the history, heritage, and financial losses suffered by Jews from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, and Aden. The report details $263 billion in individual and communal losses—homes, businesses, synagogues, cemeteries, and schools—all erased or confiscated. These are not just numbers; they represent lives uprooted, communities shattered, and a heritage nearly lost.

The call for justice is not merely about restitution. It is about recognition. The rights of Jewish refugees from Muslim countries are grounded in both moral and legal arguments under international law. Yet, their suffering and displacement have never been addressed by the United Nations or the broader international community. This omission perpetuates a narrative that denies the longstanding presence of Jews in the region and, by extension, their legitimate place in its history.

Reconciliation cannot be built on half-truths or selective memory. As Levana Zamir and JJAC have made clear, peace requires honesty and courage. In the spirit of the Abraham Accords, now is the time to face history squarely. The international community must acknowledge the historical roots and experiences of Jews from the Middle East and North Africa. Only then can we move beyond the false accusation of colonialism and begin to address the real injustices that have shaped the lives of millions.

The path to lasting peace and dignity for all peoples of the region begins with truth. Recognizing the history and rightful place of Middle Eastern and North African Jews is not just a matter of historical accuracy—it is a moral and legal imperative. Only through such recognition can we hope to achieve genuine reconciliation and a future built on justice for all.

Dr Stanley Urman is the Executive Vice-President of Justice for Jews from Arab Countries (JJAC), an international coalition seeking rights and redress for Jews displaced from Arab countries.