- Quite a lot has been written in Israeli newspapers against
the Knesset's passage of a legislative amendment that prevents Palestinians
from the territories from becoming naturalized citizens, thereby severely
restricting the freedom of Arab citizens to marry. Many also came out in
opposition to other expressions of racism against Arabs - both on the part
of political parties and public bodies and on the part of Jewish citizens.
Many didn't buy the security excuse that the government and its faithful
followers tried to sell to the public to justify displays of racism.
-
- These condemnations are important not only for Arab ears,
but also, primarily, for a Jewish conscience. They inspire appreciation
in every humane person.
-
- But that is not enough. The Knesset passed the racist
law by a crushing majority, and the Attorney General, who is supposed to
stand guard and block any racist phenomenon, took it upon himself to minimize
the damage inflicted by the law without harming its essence. Shinui, the
party that is the standard bearer for liberal values, folded and abstained
from voting. The people's elected representatives defended the law with
gusto.
-
- This is merely one of the expressions of racism that
are multiplying in Israeli society. The Education Ministry bans Arab students
in Haifa from enrolling at the city's state schools because they are reserved
for Jews only. TV's Channel 2 runs a promo for a segment on disabled Arab
children being thrown out of their special-ed school in Hadera. And the
ink is still wet on results of a Haifa University survey that found that
some 60 percent of Jews believe the government should encourage Arabs to
leave the country (just two years ago the rate of support for transfer
was 31 percent).
-
- These figures, and many like them, send a clear message
to Arabs in Israel: "Your existence is in jeopardy." Existence
is something you fight for. You don't remain silent. You don't sit idly
by.
-
- It's no secret that Israeli Arabs are greatly conflicted
today over the question of how to run this war. Some are contemplating
an appeal to the United Nations and recruiting international solidarity,
in the wake of which Israel would become a target for condemnations and
boycotts like the apartheid regime in South Africa. Some are contemplating
a grassroots struggle - strikes, demonstrations that could lead who knows
where, but somewhere unlikely to be to the credit of Israel or its Arab
citizens.
-
- There are some, however, who are contemplating a comprehensive,
joint Jewish-Arab struggle, not only against these phenomena, but in general
to promote the creation of a country that is sane, tolerant, egalitarian,
similar to developed countries throughout the world. It's hard to tell
which camp will prevail. Among Israeli Arabs, there is no dearth of sincere
and justified anger. There are plenty of blusterers. There is no shortage
of reasons to justify any reaction in their eyes. The question is, how
will the Jewish majority in the State of Israel treat this struggle? Its
stances, built up and nurtured by Israeli governments over 55 years, today
encourage the government not only to absolve itself from its commitment
to equality, but to intensify discrimination and racism. The law that forces
an Israeli Arab to choose between his homeland and the Palestinian woman
he loves is one example among many.
-
- How will the Jewish majority react to the Arabs' fight
against these phenomena? Will it act as other peoples have acted in the
history of the Jewish people? Will it be drawn in by the illusion that
the deterioration of the struggle with Israel's Arabs provides an opportunity
to carry out the transfer plan? Or do we dare hope that the Jewish majority
will come to its senses and once again view the attitude toward Arabs as
a national challenge, a test of its humanism; will return to its sources
- the Declaration of Independence and the founders of Zionism, who at least
declared that they were striving for a humane Jewish country, a true democracy.
-
- - Nazir Majali is a commentator on Israel affairs for
Arab television networks and Al-Sharq al-Awsat.
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