"
Letter on 1948 labor camps
By Salman Abu Sitta,
05/2002
Salman Abu Sitta, researcher of Palestinian history, writes in response to Eitan Bronstein's question about the existence of labor camps in Palestine during and after the Nakba
"Dear Eitan,
"Thank you for bringing up this important subject which is rarely mentioned, but should now come to light.
"Labor camps were indeed set up in Palestine.
"This is how it happened:
"Typical expulsion pattern of a Palestinian village followed these lines:
"The village is attacked and besieged from 3 sides leaving the fourth open to facilitate expulsion.
"Men and women were separated in two groups.
"The women with children were expelled to Lebanon, Jenin, Ramallah or Gaza (depending on location) after being stripped of their valuables.
"Young men, about 20 - 100 in number, were selected, shot and killed in groups of 4 - 6, after an earlier group had been ordered to dig mass graves for them.
"Other able-bodied men were taken to labor camps.
"Their immediate task was to bury the dead in other villages, to demolish Arab houses, to remove the debris from already demolished houses and carry salvaged items to Jewish homes.
"Generally they did arduous and dangerous jobs.
"They were fed a slice of bread daily.
"They were kept in crammed concentration camps.
"Their conditions improved after Red Cross (ICRC) visits."
Letter on 1948 labor camps