A new report by Justice for Jews from Arab Countries (JJAC) sheds light on the exodus of more than 135,000 Jews from Iraq, which began in 1951.
The report, released on Tuesday, comes amid discussions on population transfers in the Middle East following US President Donald Trump’s Gaza relocation proposal.
It outlines the 2,500-year-old Jewish presence in Iraq, which ended abruptly due to violence and persecution that began in the 1940s.
JJAC’s research estimates that assets and property seized from Iraqi Jews are valued at over $34 billion today. “Ignoring the persecution and expulsion of Iraqi Jews erases 2,500 years of history,” said JJAC co-president Sylvain Abitbol. “This report ensures their story is remembered.”
Documenting Jewish displacement
JJAC’s project aims to document the history of Jews from 11 Arab countries. The first report, on Syrian Jewry, was released two months ago, with more reports expected soon.
“Jews are indigenous to the Middle East, predating Islam by 1,500 years,” said Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie, JJAC co-president. “The 20th-century displacement of Jews from Arab countries is one of the most significant mass displacements in modern history.”
In 1948, about one million Jews lived in 10 Arab countries and Iran. Today, fewer than 1% remain, the report stated.
Legacy and Loss
“The forced departure of Babylonian Jews, who shaped Jewish law and culture for centuries, is a profound loss to global civilization,” said JJAC executive director Dr. Stanley Urman.
According to the report, in 1950–1951, the Iraqi government permitted Jewish emigration on the condition that emigrants renounce their citizenship. Operation Ezra and Nehemiah facilitated the departure of up to 130,000 Jews, while those who remained faced persecution.
Maurice Shohet, president of the World Organization of Jews from Iraq, who fled in 1970, said, “The Iraqi Jewish story is unique. Iraq, home to the burial sites of prophets Ezekiel and Nahum, must preserve this history.”