Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., April 17, 2008 Nisan 12, 5768 | | Israel Time: 16:55 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 10:02 22/11/2007
They have crossed all the lines
By Israel Harel
Tags: Israel, Annapolis, Jewish 

"This is a new stage in our firm stand," said Hadash's chairman, MK Mohammed Barakeh.

Balad faction chair Jamal Zahalka told Haaretz: "In Balad we have always opposed the definition of Israel as a Jewish state."

The Ta'al faction met with lead negotiator Ahmed Qureia and demanded that the Palestinian Authority not recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
Advertisement
It is precisely those who believe that two states for two peoples has a chance - that Israel's Arabs can be loyal to a Jewish, Zionist and Democratic state - who must at this critical moment say to Israel's Arabs that they have gone far enough.

You cannot approach a non-Israeli entity and demand that it not recognize the identity of the country of which you are citizens. You cannot negate the identity of the state and at the same time demand that you receive all rights in it. You cannot openly wave the Palestinian flag, which symbolizes the abrogation of the Israeli flag. You cannot hold mass rallies, among other places on the campuses of universities in Israel, to mark the anniversary of the death of Yasser Arafat, who caused the death of many hundreds of Israeli citizens. You cannot demand all the rights, and at the same time conduct an internal and international campaign against the state that grants those rights.

The Arab parties cannot - through Knesset members who have immunity - strike so callously at the law stating that Israel is a Jewish state.

Anyone who is against this is breaking the law.

The fanatic supporters of the Annapolis summit, who feel that a fiasco is brewing, are already looking for someone to blame. As the search closes in, blame is always sought among us: Anyone who voices doubt is always to blame. None of those seeking to pin blame are looking (also) at the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, or at the Arab MKs, who have tied the hands of the Palestinian Authority's leaders. Because if the Israeli Arabs exert pressure to reject recognition of the Jewish state, how can those responsible for protecting the national rights of the Palestinians - the Palestinian Authority - recognize it?

Since it is not politically correct to hurl the truth into the faces of Israel's Arabs, we look for those to blame among ourselves. Instead of appreciating the sincerity of the defense minister, who believes that the Annapolis conference will do more harm than good, he is accused of deviating to the right and trying to torpedo the conference. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who suggested that Israel's Arabs not have their cake and eat it too, was also showered with criticism.

Even former Likud members - those who abandoned their basic tenets and now from decision-making positions voice conciliatory and vacillating positions toward Israel's Arabs - are being criticized. And of course Laborites who are unwilling to abandon Israel's last bastions of security and ideology (such as the Jewishness of the state) are also being criticized.

This criticism makes clear that in basic matters, and especially ones such as these, a debate on the real issues can no longer be conducted. Those who still dare to do so are accused of extraneous interests. This is true for the justice minister with regard to the Supreme Court, and for those warning of a trap at Annapolis. On the other hand, when Arab MKs demand that Palestinian institutions not recognize the identity of the state in which they themselves serve as lawmakers, nobody questions their conduct. Certainly not the media, which views these demands as business as usual.
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Breaking with the ZOA
Is Harvard University's Progressive Jewish Alliance inciting against Israel?
Rising in the polls
New survey finds Nasrallah is the most admired leader in the Arab world.
  1.   "you can`t" 10:18  |  realism 22/11/07
  2.   You cant 10:28  |  docd 22/11/07
  3.   WHY ARABS SHOULD ACCEPT DEFINITION THAT MAKE THEM 2ND CLASS? 10:33  |  TrippleJump 22/11/07
  4.   In a democracy everything is negotiable 10:34  |  farid 22/11/07
  5.   time to tell this idiot to shut up 10:35  |  Palestinian 22/11/07
  6.   To number 1 easy solution 10:44  |  Levi 22/11/07
  7.   It must be clear, the demand of the Israeli government is for the 10:47  |  Avihu 22/11/07
  8.   Israeli Arab citizens are the luckiest people 10:47  |  Mike M 22/11/07
  9.   soon they can move to palestine 10:48  |  don 22/11/07
  10.   When The Arab countries are no longer Islamic 10:55  |  Zev 22/11/07
  11.   I thought that only totalitarian states had a "national religion" 10:57  |  Natallie Durson 22/11/07
  12.   Comprehension for the Israeli point of view 11:00  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/11/07
  13.   The absurdity of a treasonous minority demanding of the state 11:07  |  Shalom Freedman 22/11/07
  14.   dear Israel 11:08  |  Myron 22/11/07
  15.   Where will it end? 11:12  |  Joseph 22/11/07
  16.   The outrageous chutzpah of would- be destroyers of Israel 11:13  |  Shalom Freedman 22/11/07
  17.   hurling the truth in arabs` face?here`s some 11:13  |  harel can`t tell 22/11/07
  18.   Israel Harel is 100% correct 11:17  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 22/11/07
  19.   Replacement theology 11:18  |  Sherlock Holmes 22/11/07
  20.   They have 77%, we have 23% 11:24  |  Ben Azai 22/11/07
  21.   arab palestine awaits for the arabs who dont want the jewish stat 11:28  |  victor hardman 22/11/07
  22.   No eating cake and keep it - sorry but that is the truth so get o 11:29  |  Ofer 22/11/07
  23.   Farid, my compatriot 11:40  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 22/11/07
  24.   Dino well done 11:42  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 22/11/07
  25.   Israel is a state of the Jews and for the Jews 11:44  |  Hastaroth 22/11/07
  26.   Natallie 11:50  |  Niko 22/11/07
  27.   realism # 1 11:54  |  ChanahS 22/11/07
  28.   Palestinian Basic Law Article 4 11:59  |  Gilly 22/11/07
  29.   Farid 11:59  |  ChanahS 22/11/07
  30.   Let`s be honest 12:02  |  Where`s waldo 22/11/07
  31.   How far do we bend before we fall over. 12:06  |  Yoav Naor 22/11/07
  32.   #1- thanks for admitting the truth about middle eastern countries 12:06  |  matt 22/11/07
  33.   To Farid 12:07  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 22/11/07
  34.   Israelis weak equivocating postures has encouraged terrorism 12:07  |  Pavel 22/11/07
  35.   # 24 Margie in Tel Aviv 12:07  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/11/07
  36.   minorities 12:13  |  Linichka 22/11/07
  37.   Bad laws deserve to be broken 12:14  |  Kim 22/11/07
  38.   Israel is the national homeland of the Jewish people 12:15  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/11/07
  39.   It`s The Jewish National Homeland- Get Over It 12:25  |  dyinglikeflies 22/11/07
  40.   #11, Durson 12:26  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/11/07
  41.   Reply to Mike M #8 - do you think its lucky to be second class? 12:38  |  Kim 22/11/07
  42.   Response to Gilly #28 - the difference between Israel & Pal laws 12:46  |  Kim 22/11/07
  43.   As long as the freedom of religion is protected 12:46  |  a wandering Jew 22/11/07
  44.   #37 Bad Kim deserves to be educated 12:47  |  Hastaroth 22/11/07
  45.   to natalie - stop thinking and learn first 12:50  |  alef 22/11/07
  46.   "The Arabs have never missed an opportuniy to miss an.... 12:56  |  Nurit 22/11/07
  47.   #42 Bad Kim and discrimination 12:58  |  Hastaroth 22/11/07
  48.   Dino 13:06  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 22/11/07
  49.   Linichka 13:07  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 22/11/07
  50.   Kim nobody said that Israel is a `Jewish only` state 13:08  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 22/11/07
  51.   Us VS Them... 13:38  |  POP 22/11/07
  52.   Kim # 37- Your entire premise is based on a falsehood 13:42  |  ChanahS 22/11/07
  53.   Kim in Australia # 41 13:44  |  ChanahS 22/11/07
  54.   # 48 Margie in Tel Aviv 13:44  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/11/07
  55.   Freedman and minority 13:53  |  Truth 22/11/07
  56.   Democratisation as sedition 14:05  |  Ben Alofs 22/11/07
  57.   "Anyone who is against this is breaking the law. " 14:14  |  POP 22/11/07
  58.   Dino 14:23  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 22/11/07
  59.   #11 Natallie thinks... 14:34  |  nina 22/11/07
  60.   All Replies 14:36  |  Universal 22/11/07
  61.   Margie: the inconvenient truth: maybe u should listen to the news 14:36  |  Kim 22/11/07
  62.   Chanah S - I`m Aboriginal - which is why I am against racism 14:45  |  Kim (a proud Murri) 22/11/07
  63.   3rd COLUMN SHOULD MOVE TO JORDAN 14:58  |  Harry Viderci 22/11/07
  64.   #56dr ben puts his stehoscope on paper promises by muslims ! 15:03  |  victor hardman 22/11/07
  65.   ISRAELI ARABS have NOT GONE FAR ENOUGH :THEY SHOULD GO TO JORDAN 15:05  |  D.Parting 22/11/07
  66.   Kim whose news? 15:08  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 22/11/07
  67.   Alofs why has the UK no constitution? 15:12  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 22/11/07
  68.   Hastaroth -what`s Apartheid & I`ve lived in Palestine/Israel 15:15  |  Kim 22/11/07
  69.   Chatter instead of a clear definition 15:17  |  Tosefta 22/11/07
  70.   # 58 Margie in Tel Aviv 15:21  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/11/07
  71.   POP`s POOP again 57 15:22  |  ChanahS 22/11/07