On May 16, 1948, the Palestinian neighborhood of al-Baq‘a was captured by Zionist forces. An Armenian Jerusalemite who was one of only 200 Palestinians who remained there after the capture described the situation: “There was no resistance of any sort; they just walked in, gradually taking over buildings in strategic places. Nearly every house was empty: set tables with plates of unfinished food indicated that the occupants had fled in disarray, haste, and fear. In some kitchens cooking stoves ha