Gilad Sharon: Stop pretending
Gilad Sharon pens an angry Op-Ed in Ynet delivering Israeli Arabs an ultimatum: "Do you wish to enjoy all the good Israel bestows upon you? Then be completely loyal to it. If you cannot do it, be prepared to pay the price."
Sharon's missive was prompted by last week's terrorist attack in Jerusalem by a Palestinian from eastern Jerusalem who carried an Israeli ID card. Though not an Israeli citizen, the terrorist lived within Israel's borders. Sharon, a son of the former prime minister, writes:
The repeated terror attacks carried out by Arab terrorists possessing Israeli ID cards highlight the need for a frank and open discussion regarding relations between Arabs and Jews in Israel and the future of these ties...This pretention must stop: You shall stop pretending that you are loyal to the State the way it is, and the State will stop pretending that it does not discriminates against you, because it does. It has no choice, as you come out against its essence as a Jewish state and are working to turn it into something else. For example, how can we not discriminate against an elected representative such as Azmi Bishara or Ahmad Tibi, who served as an advisor for Arafat the terrorist, when it comes to sharing sensitive security information?
This juggling act, whereby on the one hand Arab Israelis enjoy the State's health and welfare services and freedom of expression unlike anywhere else in our region, while on the other hand their representatives condemn and attack Israel at every opportunity, and particularly in enemy states, must end.
Decent points, maybe, but the hole in this argument is that the converse can be argued just as easily. Israeli Arabs can say to Sharon and the Israeli government: When you stop discriminating against us, when you treat us like equals, when you craft a national anthem and flag that speaks of us, then we will be loyal to the state.
It's a complicated situation.
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Gilad is perfectly right..the problems of the past were anyway in the days when ‘mapai’ was running the Country, and indeed the arab schools were allowed nonetheless their own curriculum. (in no other country has this happened for a minority under the legal State Law and many arabs voted ‘left-wing’ but could not be in the IDF for obvious reasons. IN THE 70S AND 80S THE NUMBERS OF ARAB STUDENTS AT HAIFA UNIVERSITY grew apace and indeed in the GALILEE their lives were absolutely calm and many were happy. Then of course the inflamatory ‘anti-ISRAEL AND ANTI-ZIONIST’ PROPAGANDA SWELLED ..and that was the ‘beginning of the end of neighbourly calm living’.
NO COUNTRY/STATE in the world chooses its Flag and other State Symbols to ‘satisfy all the citizens’ People live where they choose to live and KNOW WHAT THE LAWS and Symbols ofthat Country are,,IF THEY WANT TO BE U’UNDER OTHER SIGNS’ THEN THEY SHOULD MOVE TO WHERE THEY WANT TO BE..
THE ‘population’ in the early 90s was made up alsoof aabs who ‘rushed in to enjoy the work facilities bought by the JEWS.Rothschild..and others..in the 18hundreds the land was barren and malaria and other diseases were rampant..
HISTORY gets ‘forgotten’ or just ‘left out’ of todays’ curriculi in many many countries..Europe not the least culprit..and the USA EDUCATION HAS OTHER SUBJECTS OF ITS OWN TO TEACH.
The “JTA Telegraph” comment is incorrect because it ignores the fact that Israel is and must be a Jewish state. There are 22 Arab states with national anthems and flags that focus on Arabs. The national anthem and flag of the Jewish state should focus on Jewish experience and Jewish identity.
As to other aspects of equality, Gilad Sharon has already provided an excellent answer: “...how can we not discriminate against an elected representative such as Azmi Bishara or Ahmad Tibi, who served as an advisor for Arafat the terrorist, when it comes to sharing sensitive security information?”
Dear Mr Heilman,
No, it is not a complicated situation. Israel is constituted as and to be a Jewish nation. The Israeli Arabs are citizens of that nation, benefit greatly from it, and owe full allegience to it. Jewish tolerance of rejectionism by Israeli Arabs enables and encourages Israeli Arabs to avoid reconciling themselves with that fact and excuses enmity to their nation. They have had 60 years to adjust, and it is time they were all (Arab and Jews) taught active patriotism to their own Jewish nation, including to sing HaTikva and saluting the flag, with no exceptions allowed.
It should also be mentioned that the Israeli Arabs don’t serve in the Israeli army like the Druze do. If they fought in the Israeli Army side-by-side with other Israelis, it is more likely for them to be trusted, and Arab Israelis would be forced to rethink where their loyalty is.
The country called Israel. If you live in the country, obey her Laws, be loyal and patriotic. Or get out.
I believe, Israel long ago due to kick out her unloyal inhabitaants-users.
Israel has an anthem and flag that reflects its character.If israeli Arabs are not prepared or willing to live under those conditions , they have the choice of not doing so and leaving. Israel is a Jewish State and shall so remain.
The difference in allocations of budgets between Jewish and Isaeli Arab may explain the feeling many Israeli Arabs have regarding the state of Israel where they are supposedly equal citizens with its Jewish residents. With the nationalist feelings raised by the unsettled matter between Israelis and Palestinian, it exacerbates the problems.
Moreover, the two last terror attacks by residents of East Jerusalem illustrate the indecisive nature of the Arabs living in the territory annexed in the “unification of the city.” They are not citizens, and vote only in local elections. They’re not quite fish nor fowl.
Nothing justifies violence, but their precarious existence between their Palestinian confreres and an Israeli municipal administration does help us understand how it comes about.
Gilad conflates the Arab citizens of Israel with the Arab residents of Jerusalem who are not citizens, and thereby casts a net too broad. The Jerusalem Arabs have never accepted the annexation, and they do not feel obligated to act as though it were a liberation. The annexation was of Arabs who may now carry Israeli identity cards, but their passports are still Jordanese.
Wow. I am not Israeli and just found out about the Telegraph, but you made my day that there is some hope in the Middle East. Since both sides are in the wrong (my external viewpoint as a Christian and an Iranian American), mudslinging and hate mongering won’t solve anything. I applaud the Telegraph for honest, intelligent and frank discussion about real problems, not just for Israel, but for the entire world. You are officially bookmarked. Now if there were more journalists at the G8 than Madonna’s apartment looking for A-Rod, I might have some hope for the world! Journalists can’t be blamed for people not wanting to know about things that matter.
This issue derives from an existential reality. The “original sin” being the failure of acceptance of a 2 state solution in 1947 by Palestinian Arabs and the Arab League which in turn,violative of the UN Charter regarding settling regional conflicts, in turn, has made the UN the mess it is today. No matter who argues what, this will continue with some modicum of resolution over time pending as yet unforseen change on the ground. The fact that a commentator has made a distinction between Arab residents of East Jerusalem who maintain Jordanian citizenshp and reject Israel’s annexation vis a vis Arab citizens of pre 1967 Israel makes my point. What would happen if East Jerusalemites applied for citizenship, accepted annexation, and rejected imputed PA future rule? Since I am not that conversant with the situation, have Arab residents of East Jerusalem,in fact, been offered citizenship? Dual citizenship is an alternative, since Jordan is no longer at war with Israel. Perhaps someone can respond with more info on this.
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Gershon
07/07/08 11:58 AM
Sorry Uriel - the converse does not work.
One does not hand the keys to the house to a known arsonist before he shows he has changed his way. That is nothing short of suicidal (regardless of the fact that that is what many of our recent governments’ policies amount to).
As for changing the anthem and flag - we are required to treat our minorities with respect and equality. We are required to destroy the very meaning of our state to do it. Arabs can be treated fairly and equally as a minority group in a Jewish state. Asking for de-judaization of Israel is just another way to destroy it.
No sir, no way.