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Last update - 08:12 26/10/2008 Involve the Arabs By Haaretz Editorial Tags: Israeli Arabs, Tzipi Livni  Of the 120 Knesset members, 10 belong to Arab factions - Balad, Hadash, and United Arab List-Ta'al. When coalitions are formed, these groups are usually left outside the camp, and outside the political discourse. Prime ministerial candidates from the right loathe these factions, while those from the left fear being overly associated with them. The result is identical: The Arab factions, whose representatives were democratically elected by wide swaths of the population, are shunned and turn into nearly illegitimate entities. Kadima chair Tzipi Livni is continuing this distasteful tradition. She, too, has not found time in her schedule to talk with representatives of the Arab factions, whose support could help her government build a tolerable majority in the Knesset. Perhaps she had intended all along to start discussions with the Arab parties only after everyone realizes she is not dependent on them. But the unfortunate fact still remains: Livni is sending a message to the public, Arab or not, that the Arabs are very low on her priority list, a position that borders on insult. Advertisement One could be confused by this, given that Livni herself declared she was educated on Ze'ev Jabotinsky's vision of a state that would integrate "the son of Arabia, the son of Nazareth, and my son" - not in total equality, but with the third controlling the other two. In Ehud Olmert's government, a Labor Party representative became the first sitting Arab minister, Ghaleb Majadele, and he is slated to keep his post under Livni, since in this instance the determining factor is party affiliation, not ethnic origin. The Arabs' value as Israeli citizens, as voters, as elected officials, and as partners worthy of participating in the country's administration does not need validation from Livni or any other politician. Ignoring and ostracizing the Arabs harms Israeli society no less than Arab society. One in every five Israelis is not Jewish. The Arab voters cannot - nor do they wish to - unite behind one party. This, of course, is their right. Personal conflicts and ideological battles keep them from unifying - just like the Jewish parties - and choosing a leadership that can capitalize on their strength and provide them with benefits. Yet those who boycott the Arab MKs are abandoning the Arab arena to other actors who are less tied to the establishment. Israeli Arabs feel subjected to discrimination, and understandably so. Extremism among the Arab public increases with every generation of educated youth that is unwilling to accept the narrow slot allocated by Israeli society. Excluding their representatives from the political discourse only contributes to their feelings of detachment. When Arab citizens' loyalty to the state is questioned, one must also examine the state's loyalty to its Arab citizens. Someone ought to remind Livni, who stands at the head of a centrist party, once again: Arab factions represent a vital, legitimate portion of the public that cannot be ignored. They can be partners in the government if they agree to the government's guidelines; they can support the government from the opposition; or they can oppose the government. But they must be treated exactly like the other factions in the legislature. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Damaging remarks Right-wing MK Lieberman says Egyptian president Mubarak can "go to hell." Joe on Israel Overnight media sensation says Obama presidency would spell "death of Israel."   1.   livni should have called elections on day 1 08:21  |  victor hardman 26/10/08   2.   A nation run by Jews and for Jews 08:47  |  Natallie Durson 26/10/08   3.   The Israeli people should ask themselves indeed...... 08:52  |  Swiss (Dino) 26/10/08   4.   this is a very complex issue 09:31  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 26/10/08   5.   Swiss (Dino) #3 10:02  |  Michael 26/10/08   6.   # 5 Michael, I concede, you are having a point here..... 10:40  |  Swiss (Dino) 26/10/08   7.   The decision to make peace with Arabs must be Jewish 14:09  |  dyinglikeflies 26/10/08   8.   #5 and #6, not a matter of numbers but of legitimacy 14:19  |  Ruth 26/10/08   9.   The State of Israel must end its schizophrenia 14:20  |  Yaakov K. 26/10/08   10.   Btw, thank you, Ha`aretz 14:23  |  Ruth 26/10/08   11.   #7 and #9, schizophrenia, yes indeed 14:43  |  Ruth 26/10/08   12.   Arab parties do not care about Jewish State or Israeli security 15:16  |  Moshe 26/10/08   13.   #11 (Ruth): I have no problem at all with that! 17:19  |  Yaakov K. 26/10/08   14.   To Cipora Julianna Kohn 18:05  |  IsraeliArab 26/10/08   15.   I support the arab boycot of elections 18:49  |  Yerushalmi 26/10/08   16.   "Arab" parties,as they are known, seek destruction of Israel 00:49  |  McQueen 27/10/08   17.   #14, IsraeliArab 01:04  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/10/08   18.   Excellent article 01:40  |  Ann Fink 27/10/08   19.   Common sense 03:24  |  Nathaniel 27/10/08   20.   Now is the chance for Peace 04:51  |  Adam 27/10/08   21.   #20..Adam 05:06  |  Nemesis 27/10/08   22.   you are so wrong. not if they incite against israel they are not 06:29  |  ralph 27/10/08   23.   Should we turn into an Islamic Republic 08:25  |  a Jew 27/10/08   24.   yaakov k 10:11  |  potobac 27/10/08   25.   law of gravity is still in effect as also the rest of G-D`s laws 17:23  |  yahn goodey 27/10/08   26.   an israeli citizen is an israeli citizen, period 03:18  |  David K 28/10/08   27.   Israel as a "democracy" 03:19  |  deltaleb 28/10/08   28.   #24, potobac 04:53  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 28/10/08   29.   #4 Indeed it is complex, Cipora 11:36  |  Johnboy 28/10/08   30.   The Arab factions sympathize with our deadly enemies. 19:11  |  Chaim 28/10/08   31.   As an Israeli-Arab, I whole heartedly agree with this article 19:17  |  Rami 29/10/08   32.   Rami, #31 06:24  |  Nathaniel 30/10/08

Read & React Joe the Plumber: A vote for Obama is a vote for the death of Israel Responses: 444 L.A. Times defends decision not to release clip of Obama with Palestinian critic of Israel Responses: 131 Syria demands UN action against U.S. over raid Responses: 124 IDF soldiers protect Palestinian olive farmers from settlers Responses: 95 Aluf Benn: Americans must worry first about America, not Israel Responses: 63 Bradley Burston: Voting as a religious experience Responses: 8 More Headlines 06:14 Poll: Right-wing gains give Netanyahu best chance to form next gov't 06:17 Lieberman: Mubarak can 'go to hell'; Egypt responds: Lieberman is a racist 06:20 Barak cuts services to illegal settlements in response to rising violence 06:23 Israel's business barons lost NIS 60 billion in seven months 06:27 City of David discovery could be biblical waterway 06:29 U.S. Embassy in Damascus to close as Syrians prepare mass protest of raid 06:33 Livni, Barak to vie for support of peace camp at Rabin memorial 20:05 Biden, in Florida, stresses his, Obama's commitment to Israel 06:36 Police fail to stop Ultra-Orthodox 'modesty patrols' 06:39 Deadbeat Knesset members owe cafeteria NIS 400,000 05:30 They took their time, but daring 1983 clock heist mystery is finally solved 05:26 IDF reserve officer to sue Ch. 10 for associating him with gunrunning 05:37 Hundreds of students block Knesset in protest over university funding 05:40 Market report / Israeli stocks gain as Europe rallies 23:28 Kosher U.S. meatpacker fined $10m over labor law violations Previous Editions Select Day 29 oct 28 oct 27 oct 26 oct 24 oct 23 oct 22 oct 21 oct 20 oct 19 oct 17 oct 16 oct

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