Arab rights group seeks 'supranational regime in all of historic Palestine' - Haaretz

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Fri., December 21, 2007 Tevet 12, 5768

Israel Time: 02:03 (EST+7)

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Arab rights group seeks 'supranational regime in all of historic Palestine'

By Yoav Stern

The Arab minority rights center, Adalah, is considering a proposal calling for a "democratic constitution for a supranational regime in all of historic Palestine," including the territory of Israel and the Palestinian Authority. This constitutes a shift from the proposed Democratic Constitution that Adalah offered as a constitution for Israel.

While it is not clear when this change occurred, Adalah sources said yesterday that the effort does not aim to do away with Israel or delegitimize its existence.

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Adalah announced in its monthly newsletter yesterday that it seeks to establish a group of international experts, including Palestinians and Israelis, to help "finalize the text of the Democratic Constitution."

In its proposal for a constitution for all historic Palestine, Adalah points to the European Convention on Human Rights as a model.

The idea is meant in large part to ensure that the Palestinian refugees can fulfill their right of return.

The experts would also address Jewish immigration to the area.

In the published draft of the Democratic Constitution, the Law of Return was canceled and it was stated that the country would accept anyone who arrives here for humanitarian reasons.

Moreover, the Democratic Constitution seeks a "bilingual, multicultural" Israel whose symbols will be determined by both Jews and Arabs.

Adalah rejects the claim that the new proposal reflects a new stance that does not recognize Israel's borders.

"We are not adopting a position on the number of states that will be in the area," says Hassan Jabareen, Adalah's director. "There can be one state, two or a federal system that will recognize a single constitutional regime. Our role is only to safeguard the human rights of everyone."

The Democratic Constitution, a draft of which was published a year ago, recognized Israel within the 1967 borders, but rejected its Jewish identity.

These same borders were also recognized in three documents published during the past year by other Arab organizations in Israel: "An Equal Constitution for All?" published by the Mossawa Center, "The Haifa Declaration," prepared by Mada al-Carmel, and the "Future Vision" written by the Arab Local Authorities Council.

Adalah stresses that the Democratic Constitution was a draft and had been a work in progress during the past year. During deliberations by legal experts, the possibility was raised of adopting a legal model similar to that in the European Union.

Adalah officials say the establishment of a Palestinian state next to Israel within the 1967 borders will not adequately meet the demands of the Arab community in Israel, nor the entire Palestinian population.

The implication is that the State of Israel will continue to restrict the links between Arab Israelis and the Palestinian state and the rest of the Arab world.

In addition, Adalah says Israel will prevent offering a "full solution" to the Palestinian refugees since it will not allow them to return to their homes.

Adalah's intention in proposing the new constitution is for the establishment of a supranational regime that can offer self determination to the two peoples - the Palestinians and the Jews living in Israel.

In addition, the proposal aspires to ensure the rights of individuals to live under conditions in line with international law, anywhere they choose in the geographic area of historic Palestine.

In referring to the European Convention of Human Rights in its newsletter, Adalah is proposing an emulation of the model in which the European Court of Human Rights can intervene in the decisions of European national parliaments.

In the same statement, Adalah noted that the discussions on the supranational constitution will be part of the activities the organization undertakes to commemorate next year's 60th anniversary of the nakba, or "catastrophe," as the Palestinians call the establishment of the State of Israel.

Adalah, whose official title is The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, is not a political organization, even though many of its staff have identified themselves in the past with the political party Balad. During more than a decade of activity, the organization has emerged as a leading institution in challenging IDF activities and government policies in the territories.

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