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Project Coordinator Gida Rinawi Zouabi (left), Higher Arab Monitoring Committee Chairman Shawki Hatib, and National Committee of the Arab Local Authorities Director Abed Anbatawi in Nazareth on Tuesday. (Itzik Ben-Malki)
Last update - 09:25 06/12/2006
Israeli Arabs seek autonomy and veto on government decisions
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent

Israeli Arabs are demanding cultural, religious and educational autonomy, and the right to veto government decisions on national issues that affect them.

The Higher Arab Monitoring Committee Tuesday released a document entitled "The Future Vision of the Palestinian Arabs in Israel." It stipulates that Israeli Arabs will demand that during the next two decades Israel become a binational state alongside an independent Palestinian state.

Monitoring Committee officials say the document is a cornerstone in the history of the Israeli Arabs, as it was produced by the Monitoring Committee and sponsored by the local authorities committee, two bodies representing all the political factions of the Arabs in Israel.
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"Our main objective is to ignite the spark of the political debate on the future of the Palestinian Arabs in Israel," said Shawki Hatib, chair of the Monitoring Committee.

The document demands that Israel recognize the Arab community as a national minority with the right to be represented in international forums. Jewish Israelis need not see it as a threat, Hatib said.

The document has eight chapters, each outlining the vision regarding land policy, economic development, education, etc. The chapter about relations with the state does not say that Israeli Arabs recognize Israel's Jewishness, but that they are willing to see it as a "joint homeland" for the two nations.

"This means we recognize the Jewish nation's rights in Israel as individuals and a group. But not at the Arabs' expense. We will respect each other if they respect our rights," said Dr. Asad Ghanem, a political scientist, who wrote the chapter.

The chapter presents Israel as a state created by colonialism, which grew strong due to the increased Jewish migration to Palestine in the wake of World War II's consequences and the Holocaust. It says Israel imposed a colonial policy on its Arab citizens, including confiscation of their land and redefining the culture as Jewish.

The document demands changing the state's symbols. "After 60 years we must grow up and speak the truth. This state must contain both groups on all levels. Let the Jews have Zionist symbols in their space. I support that. But why impose those symbols on me?" asked Ghanem.

The chapters presented Tuesday will be part of a book to be published by the Monitoring Committee. It was initiated by Hatib, prepared by the local authority heads' committee and financed by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

"The Or Committee also ruled that the Israeli Arabs' weakness is the lack of group rights. That was written by a Jew, and nobody felt threatened, but when the Arabs say it, it's threatening," he said.

The chapter about the Palestinian state says the Israeli Arabs support the establishment of a Palestinian state adjacent to Israel. It would belong to the Palestinian people, while Israel would be a binational state, as it has a Jewish majority and a large Arab minority. It calls for setting up a democracy constituting a coalition of Jews and Arabs in Israel. Each side would run its own affairs and each would have a right to veto the other's decisions.

The document says the Arab public does not see Israel's present government system as a democracy, and says Israel is an ethnocracy, like Turkey, Sri Lanka, Latvia and others
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  1.   Watch out for these people 09:23  |  SLAVO 06/12/06
  2.   they call themselves palestinians in Israel 09:42  |  pete 06/12/06
  3.   The enemy inside 09:43  |  Isaac 06/12/06
  4.   $1 Anyone with a more rational cooment? 09:44  |  John 06/12/06
  5.   Arab autonomy in Israel, Ha don`t make me laugh 09:49  |  Aby 06/12/06
  6.   The right solution 09:54  |  Fredrik 06/12/06
  7.   If Palestinian arabs want separation, let them have it. 09:57  |  Two nation states 06/12/06
  8.   London & Paris will be next 10:02  |  Gerry 06/12/06
  9.   so then there will be 3 palestinian entities 10:08  |  matt 06/12/06
  10.   Would W.B. Settlers get similar status 10:13  |  Marion 06/12/06
  11.   Opens Arab moves to destroy Israel from within 10:22  |  Bennie 06/12/06
  12.   Is this on the internet 10:22  |  Ilan 06/12/06
  13.   Excellent idea. 10:33  |  Dr D 06/12/06
  14.   Fredrick, Who is strange 10:35  |  Aby 06/12/06
  15.   Give the Israeli Arab triangle to the PA. 10:37  |  Richard S. 06/12/06
  16.   is this surprising? 10:39  |  Anubhav 06/12/06
  17.   Palestine: the future apartheid state 10:52  |  Abir 06/12/06
  18.   We are a Jewish State. 10:53  |  Avi Yerushalmi 06/12/06
  19.   When you can`t solve a problem one way 10:53  |  sh 06/12/06
  20.   Minority to veto majority.Is that democracy? 10:54  |  PETER SM 06/12/06
  21.   Agreed on one condition: Also binational state in the west bank 10:55  |  AA 06/12/06
  22.   Treat Them Special Like Canada did re- Quebec... 10:58  |  Klaudia 06/12/06
  23.   Only if Palestinians are binational too... 11:01  |  Itamar 06/12/06
  24.   Reciprocity 11:02  |  Peter 06/12/06
  25.   ONE STATE 2 peoples 11:12  |  Akiva Patysh, Tzioni 06/12/06
  26.   The Arab citizens of Israel consider themselves Palestinian Arabs 11:18  |  Nadav 06/12/06
  27.   Part 2- More on Quebec/ Israeli Arab Analogy 11:18  |  Klaudia 06/12/06
  28.   Jordan and Palestine were confused 11:21  |  Allon 06/12/06
  29.   Well. Im tried of all this rhetoric 11:22  |  Nephtaly 06/12/06
  30.   Put It To A Vote 11:22  |  Terry 06/12/06
  31.   Fredrik # 6 11:27  |  Yair 06/12/06
  32.   Arab autonomy and Israel 11:29  |  donna 06/12/06
  33.   Israeli Arabs are NOT a 5th column? 11:32  |  franz 06/12/06
  34.   Equal rights demand equal duties. 11:35  |  H.H.M 06/12/06
  35.   you`ve been created by colonialism, too 11:38  |  MarianoW 06/12/06
  36.   Kahane was right 11:42  |  Ari 06/12/06
  37.   Correction: First impressions are not good 11:43  |  Ilan 06/12/06
  38.   A less Jewish future for Israel is probably inevitable 11:51  |  Michael 06/12/06
  39.   Speed up Israel`s Destruction From Within- Follow Can. Model ! 11:57  |  Klaudia 06/12/06
  40.   DREAMING IN CLOUD COOKOO LAND ?? 11:57  |  Bill. 06/12/06
  41.   No Arab rights before Jews can live in Jordan ! 12:12  |  Paul Henzen 06/12/06
  42.   population transfer 12:13  |  noah 06/12/06
  43.   this is normal 12:15  |  GJ 06/12/06
  44.   It`s time for post-Zionism 12:22  |  Michael 06/12/06
  45.   France watch out, you are next ... 12:31  |  Observer 06/12/06
  46.   To Paul Henzen... 12:33  |  John 06/12/06
  47.   Michael, if you areJewish... 12:49  |  Avi Yerushalmi 06/12/06
  48.   to GJ, this is not normal, this is 12:57  |  steve 06/12/06
  49.   One state, one law.... 12:59  |  Fredrick Dittlau 06/12/06
  50.   to John: other examples 13:09  |  Paul Henzen 06/12/06
  51.   # 44- Michael 13:17  |  Klaudia 06/12/06
  52.   # 7 Congrats 13:22  |  An Australian 06/12/06
  53.   Islam, Colonialism n Separatism 13:23  |  Scholar 06/12/06
  54.   Israeli Arabs Autonomy 13:24  |  ruby 06/12/06
  55.   to John on Paul Henzen 13:26  |  Watcher 06/12/06
  56.   To # 45 We are already occupied, but NOT by Arabs ! :-0) 13:26  |  Yankelowitz 06/12/06
  57.   ARabs want to be called a Nation within Israeli borders 13:27  |  Max Zinger,P.Chimist 06/12/06
  58.   Islam, Separatism n Colonialism 13:30  |  Wondering 06/12/06
  59.   A state with two peoples 13:37  |  Tzfonit 06/12/06
  60.   The state of Israel is the only Jewish state on earth. This is 13:39  |  Nadav 06/12/06
  61.   Arabs deserve same rights as Jews in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq 13:44  |  Ari 06/12/06
  62.   Arab racism! 13:57  |  Christina Jones 06/12/06
  63.   Toward 3 Palestinian Arab States 13:59  |  Jonathan S 06/12/06
  64.   We Wished Israel is Canada, but it is not 14:02  |  BenAbuzaglo 06/12/06
  65.   Palestinan autonomy 14:02  |  Nik Miller 06/12/06
  66.   Avi, the UK flag`s been around for centuries 14:03  |  Michael 06/12/06
  67.   Michael # 62 14:26  |  Yair 06/12/06
  68.   #24 Peter on reciprocity 14:33  |  Hastaroth 06/12/06
  69.   to Michael on the UK flag 14:45  |  Anubhav 06/12/06
  70.   If Israel truly wants a democratic future 14:50  |  Phil 06/12/06
  71.   No worries, Klaudia, here`s what I`d do 14:51  |  Michael 06/12/06
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