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Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Israeli ambassador to Britain Ron Prosor in Jerusalem on Sunday. (Mati Milstein / British Embassy)
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FM Livni's remark on Palestinian state angers Arab MKs
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service
Tags: Palestinians, Tzipi Livni 

Arab MKs hit back Sunday after Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said that that the future Palestinian state would provide a solution to Palestinians worldwide - including Israeli Arabs - in their struggle for national expression.

"It must be clear to everyone that the State of Israel is a national homeland for the Jewish people," Livni said, adding that the national demands of Israeli Arabs should end the moment a Palestinian state is established.

Livni was responding to an announcement made Saturday by the Arab Higher Monitoring Committee regarding its decision to draft a document expressing its refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
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Livni also stressed that Israel is a democracy and elected members of Knesset must accept it as such. "The Arab MKs cannot have their cake and eat it too," she said.

In response to Livni's comments, Culture, Sports and Science Minister Ghaleb Majadele said, "The roots of the Israeli Arab citizens of Israel were planted before the state was established. They are residents of this country with rights; their residency and citizenship are not open for negotiation."

"Anyone who raises the idea of transferring the Arab population in Israel to the territories of the state of Palestine is anti-democractic," the Israeli Arab minister added.

Livni's comments also infuriated Israeli Arab members of Knesset, who accused her of adopting an extremist stance toward the Arab minority.

Hadash party Chairman Mohammad Barakeh, who initiated Saturday's debate at the Higher Monitoring Committee, said: "The government's insolence has hit a new high. Livni went back to her origins in the unenlightened circles of the extreme right."

He added that "the Palestinian Arabs in Israel live in their homeland. They did not immigrate. It is the state that immigrated."

MK Ahmed Tibi (Ra'am-Ta'al) said that Livni has shown her "extreme face," adding that she is preparing the ground for the expulsion of Arab citizens from Israel. "The Arabs were here before Livni and will be here after her," he said.

During their meeting Saturday in Nazareth, committee members announced they would send their document when it is completed to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, Arab countries and international organizations.

The committee said its decision was influenced by Israel's insistence that the PA recognize Israel as a Jewish state. Israeli Arab official Raja Agabaria has been entrusted with formulating the document.

Committee members' opinions varied considerably during the discussion. The Hadash party that raised the issue are focusing on expressing its disapproval of the state's definition as Jewish in the context of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Other parties, such as Balad, believe the committee must express a principled disapproval of such a definition.

Such may be a breach of Israeli law, which stipulates that no party can participate in the elections if it rejects the democratic and Jewish nature of the State of Israel.

Hadash Chairman Barakeh told Haaretz that his party's stance on the matter was one of principle. "Palestinian and international recognition of Israel as a Jewish state will determine the status of Arabs in Israel as second-class citizens," he said.

He added that such recognition might legitimize population swap and transfer of Arab citizens and also invalidate the Palestinian refugees' right of return. "The State of Israel should be nothing more than self-determination for Jewish Israelis," he concluded.

Balad members said they were happy to see the Higher Monitoring Committee discuss these issues. "We have always opposed Israel's definition as a Jewish state," Balad Chairman MK Jamal Zahalka told Haaretz. "We must hold a principled debate on the matter, and if Hadash are of the same opinion, it only proves the hegemony of our political discourse. Bless them."

The leaders of the Islamic Movement were at a conference in Istanbul at press time and were unavailable for comment. Ra'am-Ta'al MK Taleb El-Sana told Haaretz that "this is undoubtedly a serious issue. We agree that the country's national character should not be a condition for negotiations. It should be determined by the public, and setting conditions on a Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state is a pretext for not pursuing negotiations."

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      1.   YES:THEY COULD ALL MOVE THERE IF THEY DON,T LIKE ISRAEL 17:11  |  D.Parting 18/11/07
      2.   Forcing people to accept Israel as a democracy = Dictatorship!!!! 17:13  |  POP 18/11/07
      3.   Israel = Saudi Arabia 17:14  |  POP 18/11/07
      4.   LIVNI IS A BIG FAILURE, GOD WILLING, THERE WILL BE NO PALESTATE)) 17:15  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 18/11/07
      5.   Send Israel`s 5th Column To Jordan Too 17:16  |  Yishai Kohen 18/11/07
      6.   Finally Tzipi Livni is making sense... 17:27  |  Ohev Tsion 18/11/07
      7.   How about we also make the next PM a rabi? 17:36  |  Just another Israeli 18/11/07
      8.   Jewish = Democratic??? 17:40  |  democrat 18/11/07
      9.   democracy = theocracy? not in my book 17:48  |  s. kahn 18/11/07
      10.   Future Generations 18:00  |  Ron 18/11/07
      11.   "Jewish state" and "solution for Israeli Arabs" 18:01  |  Peacenik 18/11/07
      12.   Tzipi Livni pronounced the essence of what a nation-state is and 18:03  |  Avihu 18/11/07
      13.   #1 DParting 18:08  |  Courcey 18/11/07
      14.   Mal-interpretation... 18:09  |  Esther 18/11/07
      15.   cruel zionist dictatorship 18:10  |  Leon Rosgarten 18/11/07
      16.   MK Ahmad Tibi lies - Israeli Arabs immigrated too 18:14  |  Shlomo 18/11/07
      17.   Oops, damage control, call spin doctors "I never ment to imply... 18:14  |  Karim Hadashee 18/11/07
      18.   Israeli arabs 18:15  |  steve a 18/11/07
      19.   Jews should have no rights in America! 18:20  |  Rick Blake 18/11/07
      20.   Israel for jews Balestine for Muslims 18:20  |  Victor 18/11/07
      21.   I Don` Know what... 18:33  |  Avi Yerushalmi 18/11/07
      22.   Foreign minister Livni about israeli arabs..... 18:34  |  Judah N. Wenkel 18/11/07
      23.   Majadele 18:35  |  Brod 18/11/07
      24.   THEY WILL GO EITHER PEACEFULLY OR ELSE!!!! 18:38  |  WARRIOR 18/11/07
      25.   Livni and Israeli Arabs 18:39  |  Jerusalem Jew 18/11/07
      26.   Israeli Arabs - no future? 18:39  |  Avi 18/11/07
      27.   TO Majadele: YOUR PLACE IS IN JORDAN 18:41  |  THE LIBRARIAN 18/11/07
      28.   Israel has a choice.. 18:42  |  POP 18/11/07
      29.   Does Livni also mean that Israeli Arabs get 20% of pre 67 Israel 18:45  |  Petteri 18/11/07
      30.   The US is a Christian Nation 18:45  |  American Jew 18/11/07
      31.   (POP is full of poop &) To S.Kahn in S.F. 18:46  |  Judah N. Wenkel 18/11/07
      32.   It is fundamenally Clear what the Arabs want..... 18:49  |  Dagma 18/11/07
      33.   Impossible 18:50  |  Janice 18/11/07
      34.   Congratulations to Tzipi Livni...... 18:52  |  Dolly 18/11/07
      35.   -stop that nonsense, Petteri ! 18:58  |  Judah N. Wenkel 18/11/07
      36.   160 plus wolves vs. 1 lamb 19:00  |  ibn shtiya 18/11/07
      37.   American Jew: The USA is NOT a Christian Nation!!!!!!!!! 19:00  |  POP 18/11/07
      38.   D Parting Move where !!!!!!!!!! 19:05  |  abjad 18/11/07
      39.   Check Out The Oath Of Office In The Islamic Republic 19:05  |  Eli 18/11/07
      40.   palestinian solution=JORDAN 19:07  |  ljf-canada 18/11/07
      41.   Tibi on Tzipi Livni 19:17  |  David 18/11/07
      42.   Tzipi Livni, with all due respect 19:18  |  KUTW 18/11/07
      43.   LIVNI, REST ASSURED THERE WILL BE NO PALESTATE, ARABS RESETTLED 19:19  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 18/11/07
      44.   TRUTH is Ignored! Muslims Already Have an ARAB Palestinian State 19:19  |  Linda Rivera 18/11/07
      45.   Israel`s Democracy = unEqual Rights 19:21  |  Double Click 18/11/07
      46.   How do so many misunderstand what Livni is saying?! 19:25  |  Yael 18/11/07
      47.   Livni - At least She Gets It 19:30  |  Tod Zuckerman 18/11/07
      48.   #36 ibn shtiya 19:32  |  Boycott 18/11/07
      49.   Propagandists for Expansionist Islam.The WICKED LIE of Occupation 19:34  |  Linda Rivera 18/11/07
      50.   Democrat 19:41  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 18/11/07
      51.   Tear Down Those Walls 19:44  |  R 18/11/07
      52.   Yael: Canada is NOT a Christian Country!!!!! 19:48  |  POP 18/11/07
      53.   46, Yael nice interpretation. 19:49  |  Dutch Dirk 18/11/07
      54.   Yael of Tel-Aviv - Brava!!! Those who wish 19:52  |  Julia 18/11/07
      55.   receivers of stolen property are not the true owneres 19:53  |  bernard ross 18/11/07
      56.   israel a jewish state 19:54  |  Maurice Samuelson 18/11/07
      57.   Palestinian State, New Nakkba, another Ethnic cleansing 19:56  |  El-birawi 18/11/07
      58.   Imagine co-existance .Two state solution in one. 19:57  |  Charlie 18/11/07
      59.   Calling all morons 19:58  |  MarkC 18/11/07
      60.   Jew-HATERS Ignore JUSTICE for One Million Jewish Refugees 19:58  |  Linda Rivera 18/11/07
      61.   Livni 19:59  |  Choni Davidowitz 18/11/07
      62.   to everyone 20:03  |  nick 18/11/07
      63.   second-class citizens?! 20:05  |  akiva (zionist) 18/11/07
      64.   Its not just a Palestinian state they are after.Never was 20:06  |  PETER S.M. 18/11/07
      65.   Boycott # 48 - We Are Proud Of Our Power And 20:09  |  Eli 18/11/07
      66.   Avihu @#12 20:09  |  akiva (zionist) 18/11/07
      67.   What`s behind Livni`s statement 20:11  |  baffled 18/11/07
      68.   BOYCOTT why don`t you add up ALL the forces sorrounding Israel 20:24  |  PETER S.M. 18/11/07
      69.   Why is the outcry of many?? 20:25  |  TOMY 18/11/07
      70.   Only in Israel 20:26  |  emad matahin 18/11/07
      71.   Not bad Livni! 20:35  |  Steve 18/11/07
      72.   Re # 30 American Jew 20:37  |  emad matahin 18/11/07
      73.   #35 Judah N Wenkel re Peterri 20:37  |  Labhras 18/11/07
      74.   # 13 # COURCEY : PRIMATES FIND THE TRUTH TAXING 20:47  |  D. Parting 18/11/07
      75.   Pali state? 20:49  |  Steve 18/11/07
      76.   This Zionist is beginning to feel alienated from Israel. 20:56  |  David Turner 18/11/07
      77.   It cuts both ways 21:01  |  Nathaniel 18/11/07
      78.   Increasingly juvenile 21:01  |  Paul Freedman