Who's afraid of 'Israelization'?MK Azmi Bishara told a well-attended rally of young Israeli Arabs in Nazareth that if they do civic service in their own communities they will thereby become "accomplices in the Zionist establishment's schemes to fragment the national Arab minority, divest it of its national identity and integrate it in the Israelization project geared to disperse the Arab existence."
It was agreed to make the strictly voluntary one-year civic service opportunities available to Arab youths, who by assisting their own communities would accrue rights to a variety of benefits available to IDF veterans. These perks are routinely pointed to by Israeli Arabs as manifestations of discrimination against them because they are not subject to conscription.
Those who planned to give Israeli Arabs advantages and new avenues of personal advancement were understandably taken aback by the hostile rebuff with which their outstretched hand was met. Unfortunately, Bishara isn't alone. Condemnation [of the program] was fast and widespread among Israeli Arab leaders...
[Jerusalem Post]
April 8, 2007 UPDATE:
Bishara will quit the Knesset
MK Azmi Bishara will resign in the coming days...
Bishara plan[s] to announce his resignation in a televised Al Jazeera interview from Jordan in the coming days... The resignation could be connected to suspicions that Bishara had violated a 2001 law forbidding political officials from traveling to enemy states.
Bishara was questioned in September 2006 for making visits to both Syria and Lebanon.
[Jerusalem Post]
2 comments:
Well, in the context of the bigger picture, one could see that the Arab Islraelis would look at this as: "Now, be good little Arab Israelis and your benevolent master will give you a treat." I am not saying that it is that way, but I can see how it might be viewed that way. Unfortunately, with the animosity, prejudice, and willingness for violence, I do not see an easy integration of this society. WHile intractable, I do not believe it is an insurmountable problem. But that is why I tackle HealthCare Reform. The middle east makes everything else look easy!
Your last two line gave me a good chuckle.
My cousin thinks an abundance of MidEast news is not good for ones mental health. She could be right.
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