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Sunday Oct 12, 2008
The riot in Acre is the major event of this past week. Even if this turns out to be an isolated event, which does not spread or last long, as we hope, it exposes a difficult issue that no one is daring to deal with.
Truth be told, all Israel's governments except for one have discriminated against Israel's Arabs. Only Rabin's government, at his personal directive, employed a wise policy approach towards them. The gap in services between the Arab sector and the Jewish sector is enormous. Arab youths who graduate from university are kept from being accepted into government and public companies without any security justification. Many Arab villages are not included in overall planning and building projects which has caused a residential crisis and led to an increase of illegal construction in these villages. Under these conditions, fury and bitterness are inevitable.
There is another side to the coin. Lacking a moderate, responsible, and constructive approach to the Arabs of Israel, a leadership has arisen that is negative and hostile to the state. The political leadership of the Israeli Arabs, the Knesset members of the Arab parties and some of the mayors, have adopted positions that can be considered among the worst of Israel's enemies. The 'Vision Document' published last year by the 'Oversight Committee', the entity that pretends to serve as the collective leadership of the Israeli Arabs, is an anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish document of the most vile kind. Their interpretation of the two-state solution is one state which is Arab and anti-democratic, and a second state which will be democratic and not Jewish. From my conversations with the Arab citizens of Israel, a different picture emerges. They are sick and tired of this leadership that deals only in pan-Arab and Palestinian issues and does not concern itself with daily life, with current administrative problems, with the inequality of services within the State of Israel. They view themselves as Palestinian in national origin, but as Israeli in their citizenship.
What should be done? As on other issues we should return to the policies of the Rabin government.
- Equalize the services given to the Arab population even if this calls for reverse discrimination.
- Expand the number of university graduates who are offered jobs in the public sector.
- Publish building plans for Arab villages so as to regularize the housing issue and prevent illegal construction.
In parallel, action is needed in all legal avenues against elements which are hostile to the state and incite against it. A sharp wedge should be driven between the Arab public and its present political leadership. In each of my roles in Israel's governments, in Health, Transportation and Defense, I have dealt with Israeli Arabs. I can say from experience that this is a policy which can succeed, if it is conducted with forthrightness and perseverance.
This is the wisest investment in internal security that the State of Israel can make.
1 | McQueen, NY, Sunday Oct 12, 2008
Why reward Arabs when they elect hostile leadership? What incentive will they have to change?
2 | Chaim - Israel, Sunday Oct 12, 2008
Israeli Arabs need strong financial incentives to move elsewhere. Sneh got one thing right. There is an obvious truth which virtually none of our leaders dare deal with. The hostility of Israeli Arabs to our land is the innate hostility of a vanquished enemy. They can't be bought off with improved standards of living. Deep in their hearts, a great many Israeli Arabs feel our tiny land belongs to them and that we are the invaders. This is a fact we must deal with. It is becoming increasingly pressing our the Arab community grows in numbers an clout.
3 | nuchem, Sunday Oct 12, 2008
This is supposed to be a Jewish state. But the Jewish reformist leftists of Israel display paranoiac fear for their own safety and take out their fears by daily bashing or undermining Israel until it will allow its enemies inside thereby really disuniting Israel Jewish state.
4 | Luminita, Bucharest, Sunday Oct 12, 2008
Dear Sir, you're very right. I read on JPOST about an Arab woman who graduated an important Israeli university and she couldn't find any job and she stays at home with children as she would if she was living in Iran, not in Israel. The majority of commentaries showed no sympathy. Indeed, bitterness and fury have to be prevented and fought; it is crucial for Israel's identity, not only the overwhleming issue of religion , but also the issue of DEMOCRACY, of a state respecting and helping all loyal citizens, all loyal people.
5 | Galilite, Melbourne, Monday Oct 13, 2008
Thank you, Dr. Sne.
Most people who ever talked to Arab Israelis would confirm that. They are completely normal people who want calm and prosperity, just like anyone else does.
It is a completely different problem from the external politics, and it does not require any kind of disruptive decisions: just make sure the laws work as they were intended to.
I wish more high-profile politicians would see it before it's too late.
6 | Dan, Monday Oct 13, 2008
That's good advice. Israeli Jews should do the same and replace their own inept leaders. For the past 60 years, Israeli Arabs have been nominally equal citizens. It's time to make them genuinely equal. Simultaneous with giving them equal access to educational opportunites and state resources, they should also be subject to the draft and other obligations of Jewish citizens. Those who don't want to be genuinely Israeli can live move to the West Bank or another Arab country. While you are at it, Haradim should also start pulling their load as citizens. Equality is good for everyone.
7 | Tod Zuckerman , San Francisco, Monday Oct 13, 2008
More idiocy from Sneh. Most Israeli Arabs want to displace the Jewish state - even "reverse discrimination" ( discrimination against Jews in a Jewish state) will not be enough. Lastly, you should remember that Sneh thinks releasing Barghouti will advance the cause of peace - this from an ex- IDF general and Deputy DM . Jeez, no wonder why the IDF has become a joke.
8 | John Reilly, Monday Oct 13, 2008
When Israeli Arabs show the same kind of loyalty to Israel which Druze Arabs and Bedouin Arabs have demonstrated, then, and only then, should they receive a fair portion of Israel's highly advanced political, economic, educational, and social amenities.
9 | Ken Besig, Kiryat Arba, Israel, Monday Oct 13, 2008
Israeli Jews need a new leadership too, one that is Zionist, proud, and intelligent, unfortunately, Dr. Sneh, his Labor Party, and much of the Kadima misleadership doesn't have any of these qualifications and much of the time can be found financially and politically supporting the most dangerous and radical Israeli Arab leadership. Indeed, an Arab Knesset member from Sneh's own Labor Party refuses to sing or stand up for Israel's national anthem, and has even characterized himself as an Arab and a Moslem first and foremost, and lastly as an Israeli, and a Palestinian Israeli at that.
10 | Isaac B, Tuesday Oct 14, 2008
This kind of thinking is the only thing that will allow the Israeli Arab problem to be worked out. However they con only receive the benefits of being part of the stat if they take up full responsibility for the duties of the state. The distrust most people will feel towards them means that this type of thing should come in incrementally, and be pushed forward with the meeting of performance benchmarks.
11 | Daniel Pinner, Kfar Tapuach, Israel, Tuesday Oct 14, 2008
Sounds logical, I suppose. But meanwhile, down here on Planet Earth (which is where most JP readers live), Sneh is the man who believed that giving 70,000 assault rifles to the PLO would bring peace; he is the man who called the terrorist and murderer Arafat (y"sh) a partner and friend. Sneh is the man who has said countless times that he has the same ideals as El Fatah - whose declared aim is the extermination of the State of Israel and the Jews therein.
12 | Yona Geitel, Givatayim, Israel, Wednesday Oct 15, 2008
Ken Besig, Israelis chose a new leadership just 2 years ago, and we knew full well what their agenda was. We rejected the extreme right, and there is no reason to believe that we will not reject them again in another 2 years. The Israel leadership is proud and Zionist and certainly no less intelligent than the fanatics of Kiryat Arba. So down here on planet earth (Daniel Pinner) the Center/Left is working hard to ensure the survival of Israel and to prevent a repeat of Horban Bayit Sheni when fanatic Judaism brought destruction on Israel. Hopefully we all have learned something in 2000 years.
13 | gary littwin, Wednesday Oct 15, 2008
So do Israeli Jews. New leadership and new leaders as well. Any suggestions, Ephraim?
14 | Daniel Pinner, Kfar Tapuach, Israel, Wednesday Oct 15, 2008
Yona Geitel, try to learn history: In the era of Bayit Sheni, it was not "fanatic Judaism [that] brought destruction on Israel" - it was the Roman invasion. It was the "fanatic Judaism" of Rabbi Akiva and Shimon Bar Kokhba that defeated the Roman Empire and restored Jewish sovereignty for three tears - a unique feat in the entire history of the Roman Empire. And the Center/Left is not working hard to ensure the survival of Israel: they are working hard to collaborate with terrorists to advance their own political agenda. Such are the facts without historical revisionism or denial.
15 | David, Wednesday Oct 15, 2008
Mr Sneh once again proves why we need not new Arab leadership in Israel, but new JEWISH leadership in Israel. Once again, the myopic leaders speak co-existence with a 5th column that is simply waiting for the day to make Israel greater Palestine. Trying to buy off the Arab population with "reverse discrimination" (i.e discrimation against JEWISH employment in Israel) is a futile effort which just testifies as to the total stupidity and lack of vision of our Jewish leadership. The Arab ultimate goal is coexistence with us only so long as necessary until they have the upper hand.
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About this blog
The Weekly Portion
Former Deputy Defense Minister Dr. MK Ephraim Sneh comments on the headlines of the past week.
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Recent Comments
David: Mr Sneh once again proves why we need not new Arab leadership in Israel, but new JEWISH leadership in Israel. Once again, the myopic leaders speak co-existence with a 5th column that is simply waiting for the day to make Israel greater Palestine. Trying to buy off the Arab population with "reverse discrimination" (i.e discrimation against JEWISH employment in Israel) is a futile effort which just testifies as to the total stupidity and lack of vision of our Jewish leadership. The Arab ultimate goal is coexistence with us only so long as necessary until they have the upper hand.
Daniel Pinner, Kfar Tapuach, Israel: Yona Geitel, try to learn history: In the era of Bayit Sheni, it was not "fanatic Judaism [that] brought destruction on Israel" - it was the Roman invasion. It was the "fanatic Judaism" of Rabbi Akiva and Shimon Bar Kokhba that defeated the Roman Empire and restored Jewish sovereignty for three tears - a unique feat in the entire history of the Roman Empire. And the Center/Left is not working hard to ensure the survival of Israel: they are working hard to collaborate with terrorists to advance their own political agenda. Such are the facts without historical revisionism or denial.
gary littwin: So do Israeli Jews. New leadership and new leaders as well. Any suggestions, Ephraim?
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