Iraqi Jews in Israel

Iraqi Jews in Israel, also known as the Bavlim (Hebrew for "Babylonians"), are immigrants and descendants of the immigrants of the Iraqi Jewish communities, who now reside in the State of Israel. During Ottoman rule, Iraqi Jews lived under the millet system, which differentiated Muslims from non-Muslims. As such, Iraqi Jews under Ottoman rule enjoyed fewer rights than their Muslim counterparts and were legally discriminated against, but were recognised minorities and granted political representation.

Between 1950 and 1951, an approximated 123,000 Iraqi Jews emigrated to Israel as a consequence of domestic and regional factors. Domestically, the rise of antisemitic policies and rhetoric within Iraq, and the numerous violent attacks against its Jewish community, created a highly precarious environment for Iraqi Jews, pushing many to view emigration to Israel as the only option for their safety. Regionally, tensions within Mandate Palestine, the State of Israel in 1948 and its expulsion of the Palestinians, and its push for Jewish immigration in the years following independence impacted Iraqi Jewish communities. The Iraqi Jewish immigrants lost the Iraqi citizenship, and their properties were confiscated by the Iraqi state. In Israel, Iraqi Jews became full citizens, but encountered numerous difficulties, including discrimination and economic precarity.