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Last update - 02:36 08/04/2008 Opposition to national service in Israel's Arab sector is bitter By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Israeli Arabs, Arab sector  A few weeks ago, pandemonium broke out at the University of Haifa while it was hosting a conference on the subject of a state-sponsored national service program for Israeli Arab youth. Inside, at the conference, Israeli Arab academics lashed out at their colleagues who carried out a survey polling the willingness of young people from the sector to participate in the program. Speeches for and against were made, while each side accused the other of misinterpreting the poll's data. Meanwhile, Arab young people from both sides of the debate almost came to blows outside the building, and university security rushed to the scene to separate them. The battle of Israel's Arab citizenry for equality is being waged on a number of fronts. But in the past few months, it seems attention has focused on one major issue - the state's national service program. Advertisement The state says the program is aimed at offering Israel's Arab citizens, who for security reasons are exempt from military service and the benefits it entails, an alternative way of contributing, while at the same time making them eligible for boons equal or similar to those received by young people serving in the Israel Defense Forces. Every national service volunteer receives NIS 500 a month. At the end of the service, they are eligible for tax breaks as well as NIS 8,000 in grants - similar to grants given to non-combatant IDF soldiers when they are discharged. But Israeli Arab leaders claim the program is a method of undermining the Israeli Arab sector's sense of unity. They warn that the plan will cause the "Israelization" of Arab youth at the expense of their Palestinian Arab identity - though state institutions participating in the program, such as hospitals, vehemently reject claims the program is part of a sinister plot to undercut Arab leadership. Also, Arab leaders say volunteers will be indirectly assisting the "Israeli war machine" at times of conflict. As a consequence, all the Arab political parties have come out against the program and an ad hoc committee has been formed to coordinate their struggle. "We're not against volunteering - the opposite is true," says Iman Udah, of the Hadash party. "We call on all Arab youth to volunteer and give to society, but why under the aegis of an entity associated with the security establishment?" Udah has campaigned long and hard against the program, visiting 40 high schools in recent months. "I persuaded all those who were undecided not to join," he says. Other Arab groups and individuals have also campaigned against the program, including the popular Israeli Arab hip-hop group DAM. Statistics regarding the success of the program are highly disputed. Only one survey attempting to determine Israeli Arab youths' willingness to participate in the national service has been conducted. Over 75 percent of the 200 respondents said they would be willing to participate in a volunteer program that would give them benefits similar to those who serve in the Israel Defense Forces. However, when asked if they would still be willing to participate in the program if it was opposed by family members, the number of youths who said they would take part dropped to 27 percent. Data regarding the number actually joining the program is also open to interpretation. In the past year, that number more than doubled, from 280 in 2007 to almost 600 in 2008. Considering, though, that each year 19,000 Israeli Arab citizens graduate from high school, then the numbers of those who elect to join the program pale in insignificance. In any case, pressure by the Arab political leadership has yielded results.Only one of six participants in the national service program interviewed by Haaretz was willing to be photographed. The rest, though willing to speak about their experience, were not interested in having their friends know what they do. Ali, who refused to use his real name, has been volunteering at a hospital for over six months. The 20-year-old man distributes medicines, assists in patients' discharge procedures and runs errands. His motivation, he says, is not altruistic: He wants to get benefits promised to those in the program and be admitted to nursing school. "They know I work at a hospital," he says of his extended family and friends, "but not under what program. In my village, they say whoever takes part in the program is not an Arab; that he's a traitor. Only my parents know what I do." By contrast, Fedah Eli, the resident of a Bedouin village in the North, is unhesitant to reveal her identity. She plans to study dentistry and her family fully supports her participation in the program. "There's no objection from where I'm from," she says. "On the contrary, they encourage girls' participation in the program. I derive a tremendous sense of satisfaction helping people of all sectors, getting experience and helping the country." Minister without portfolio Ami Ayalon (Labor) said he has taken the issue on as his own, and that he intends to try convincing more young Arabs to participate in the program. "We're not interested in a melting pot, but rather in an Israeli salad bowl" Ayalon said. Related articles: Lieberman: Arab leaders incite against national service Poll: 75% of young Israeli Arabs support voluntary national service Interior Minister: Israeli Arabs must perform national service Non-profit to direct Arab volunteers to civilian national service jobs Bookmark to del.icio.us   Falk's folly Israel will refuse entry to the UN's Richard Falk for equating Israel to Nazi Germany. Peace when? After 30 years, the public has adopted Peace Now's views, but peace is still elusive.   1.   service to Israel - having one`s cake 03:12  |  natan 08/04/08   2.   Just goes to show 04:37  |  Simone 08/04/08   3.   These poeple are NOT loyal to Israel 05:41  |  Bobby the Jew 08/04/08   4.   The Israeli Arabs are ?Palestinians?. 08:15  |  Jean Van Daem 08/04/08   5.   Ignore them 08:19  |  Michael 08/04/08   6.   Loyalty 08:38  |  A mother 08/04/08   7.   Notice that these are at UNIVERSITY 08:40  |  lily 08/04/08   8.   So let them live in Gaza 09:09  |  Butch ben Yok 08/04/08   9.   Adult mindset 09:22  |  Joseph 08/04/08   10.   Opposition to National Service in Israel`s Arab Sector is Bitter 09:49  |  Daphna 08/04/08   11.   Why would Arab youth want to promote Apartheid? 11:02  |  Stephen Murray 08/04/08   12.   "Opposition to national service in Arab sector is bitter" 11:52  |  nina 08/04/08   13.   Israeli Arabs are being unfair and show that they are not Israeli 12:04  |  De 08/04/08   14.   To #11 The apartheid laws of South Africa 12:14  |  Josh 08/04/08   15.   The real tragedy 12:22  |  Murray 08/04/08   16.   This issue must galvanise Israeli Society 16:05  |  Robert 08/04/08   17.   National Service. 23:56  |  Gershon Ron 08/04/08   18.   National Service. 23:57  |  Gershon Ron 08/04/08   19.   National Service. 23:58  |  Gershon Ron 08/04/08   20.   National Service. 23:59  |  Gershon Ron 08/04/08   21.   National Service. 00:00  |  Gershon Ron 09/04/08

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