The Baha'i community's actions in relation to land acquisitions and dealings with the Israeli government paint a picture of questionable practices, often driven by opportunism and a willingness to negotiate with forces that have historically oppressed and displaced Palestinian people. What follows is an unflinching examination of the Baha’i leadership’s actions concerning land dealings, the sale of Palestinian villages, and the purchasing of Palestinian, Arab and Muslim properties from the Israeli government, all of which exposes the community’s ethical standing.
1. Sale of Palestinian Villages to Zionists In the 1920s, Shoghi Effendi, took part in selling entire Palestinian villages - specifically, the villages of al-Nuqayb and al-Samra - to the Jewish National Fund (JNF). These lands were owned by the Baha'is but had originally been inhabited by Palestinian Arabs. Shoghi Effendi's decision to sell these lands to the JNF, a Zionist organization, enabled the expansion of Jewish settlements and further entrenched the displacement of Palestinians. The eventual depopulation of the village of al-Samra in 1948 following the sale epitomizes the destructive consequences of these transactions. The Baha'i leadership thus played a pivotal role in facilitating the very forces that would later lead to the Nakba (the Palestinian exodus). This sale was not just an economic transaction; it was an act that compounded the suffering of displaced Palestinians.
2. Purchase of the Mansion of Bahji from the Israeli Government The acquisition of the Mansion of Bahji, along with its surrounding lands, occurred after the original Arab owners fled during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The land was later obtained by Shoghi Effendi through an exchange with the Israeli government. While the Baha'i leadership frames this acquisition as necessary for preserving the faith’s holy sites, the fact remains that it was made possible only by exploiting the flight of Palestinian Arabs. This exchange not only benefited the Baha'i Faith but also served as yet another instance of the Israeli government capitalizing on the land vacated by Palestinians.
3. The Case of Mazra'ih Mazra'ih, a Muslim religious endowment (waqf), was sold to the Baha'is under controversial circumstances. Despite waqf properties being legally protected from sale under Islamic law, the Israeli Minister of Religions, Rabbi Maimon, intervened to allow the Baha'is to take control of Mazra'ih, effectively violating Islamic law. This land, originally held by Palestinian Muslims, was appropriated with direct assistance from the Israeli government. The acquisition of Mazra'ih, a Waqf property of Muslims, was not merely an administrative transaction - it was an example of religious and nationalistic manipulation for the benefit of the Baha'i community, furthering Israel’s goal of consolidating control over Palestinian land.
4. Exchanges with the Israeli Military There is also evidence of the Baha'i leadership engaging in land exchanges with the Israeli military. One notable transaction involved the property that was initially held by the British War Office and later transferred to the Carmelites. This property was ultimately transferred to Shoghi Effendi’s name in a deal involving the Israeli Defense Ministry. Such dealings reflect the Baha'i leadership’s complicity in negotiating with military authorities whose actions have historically been associated with the subjugation of Palestinians. These exchanges were not merely bureaucratic; they were strategic, ensuring the Baha'i community’s continued safety and protection in Palestine at the expense of displaced Palestinians.
5. Using Demolished Palestinian Homes for Shrines One of the most disturbing aspects of the Baha'i community’s dealings in Israel relates to the use of ceramic tiles taken from demolished Palestinian homes, primarily in Yafo (Jaffa). These tiles were used in the construction around the Shrines of Baha'u'llah and the Bab. By collecting and hauling away remnants of Palestinian homes, the Baha'is not only benefitted from the destruction of Palestinian properties but actively engaged in the symbolic erasure of Palestinian history and culture. The act of using these tiles to decorate their shrines illustrates an insensitivity to the trauma of Palestinians whose homes were destroyed, and whose lives were upended by the expansion of Zionist settlements.
6. Buying Lands owned by "Covenant-Breakers" The Baha’i community also engaged in buying land that had once been owned by individuals labeled as "covenant-breakers" - those who had fallen out of favor with the Baha’i leadership. Many of these individuals were either displaced or had their lands appropriated by the Israeli government after fleeing the newly established state. Shoghi Effendi’s decision to purchase land from the Israeli government, which had taken control of such properties, highlights the opportunistic nature of these acquisitions. This was not merely a religious dispute within the Baha'i community; it was a matter of exploiting the situation in a post-1948 Palestine, where the Israeli government controlled vast swaths of Palestinian land.
7. Purification of the Haram-i-Aqdas Another contentious action was the exhumation and reburial of Diya'u'llah, the younger brother of Abdul Baha, from the Haram-i-Aqdas near the Shrine of Baha'u'llah in Bahji. The Baha'is justified this act as a necessary "purification" of the sacred site, which had been tainted by the presence of those they considered covenant-breakers. This operation, which included expropriation orders from the Israeli government, involved the removal of remains and the expulsion of individuals associated with the early Baha’i schisms. It was a harsh, legalistic cleansing, carried out with the complicity of Israeli authorities, which further entrenched the Baha’i community’s ties to the Israeli state.
8. Negotiation for the Temple Site on Mount Carmel The land where the Baha'i Temple will come in the future on Mount Carmel was initially coveted by the British military but later transferred to the Israeli Defense Ministry. The Baha'i leadership successfully negotiated with Israeli authorities to secure this land for their holy site. This further solidified the Baha'i community’s relationship with the Israeli military and government, ensuring their position in a region that had seen the violent displacement of its Palestinian population. By obtaining land originally sought after by foreign powers and later secured by Israel, the Baha'is once again benefitted from the dispossession of Palestinians.
9. The Zikrullah Property Finally, the Baha’i community's exchange of land near Galilee (Zikrullah property) for land near the Shrine of Baha'u'llah from the Israeli government again highlights their active engagement in land transactions with Israel. The Zikrullah property, located near the border of Syria and within a demilitarized zone, was an area of interest for the Israeli government, which pressured the Zikrullah family to sell. The Baha’is, however, negotiated a trade for land that had been expropriated from Palestinians, thus further enriching the Baha'i community at the expense of the Palestinian people.
A History of Opportunism and Complicity The Baha'i community's dealings with the Israeli government are a deeply troubling aspect of their history. From selling Palestinian villages to purchasing land taken from displaced Palestinians, from exploiting demolished Palestinian homes to negotiating with military authorities, the Baha'i leadership’s actions consistently reveal a pattern of opportunism and complicity in the dispossession of Palestinian land. Rather than standing in solidarity with the oppressed, the Baha'is chose to align themselves with the very forces responsible for the displacement and suffering of millions of Palestinians. These actions expose the darker side of the Baha'i Faith’s relationship with Israel and its role in the ongoing injustice faced by the Palestinian people.
Sources:
https://books.google.com/books/about/All_That_Remains.html?id=_By7AAAAIAAJ&redir_esc=y
https://bahai-library.com/writings/shoghieffendi/mbw/sec-25.html
https://bahai.works/index.php?title=File%3ABaha%27i_News_244.pdf&page=4
http://bahai-covenant.blogspot.com/2010/05/leroy-ioas-champion-charters.html
Earl Redman, Shoghi Effendi - Through the Pilgrim's Eye Vol. 2
https://www.grbooks.com/products/shoghi-effendi-vol-2-through-pilgrims-eye_redman?variant=24525720191076
http://bahai-library.com/uhj_messages_1963-86_full&chapter=3
Leroy Ioas - Hand of the Cause of God by Anita Ioas Chapman
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