Young Israeli Arab leader: Like Ajami director, I don't represent Israel

and we here in America feel the same. In fact, so does the entire world.

that would be a good start. What's so 'honorable' about killing a young defenseless woman? Or, the female circumcision of a girl? Women's rights? In an a muslim 'society'? gimme me a break, clean your own rat infested hovels before you point the finger of blame elsewhere. Your people kill more women accidentally than any other group of people on the planet. Infection, stonings, murder, and who knows what else?

Unfortunately, giving too much floor to such people not only encourages Israeli Arabs to be unfaithful to Israel but actually calls for that. Last week I attended a talk by Said Kashua, one of your very articulate and funny writer. He tried to look funny and friendly to get the sympathy of the audience- a small group of the Jewish left wing. He also said that was his intention. They have laughed of and clapped for every declaration (including the above) he has made, accepting that as humorous, and then he declared that actually all of the Israeli Arabs see Israel as the enemy. The audience still was sympathetic, and at the end thanked him for the wonderful talk...

I am glad you voiced the silent majority Israeli Arabs' voice,to balance the political one.

Where is the Israeli Obama? Maybe Abir Kopty is him? Someday peace will come to the Middle East, all will prosper from it and be happy and secure. None of this will happen during the times of LieberYahu!

I am an Arab Israeli. One problem that she does not mention is that we have people like her calling themselves our "leaders". What makes her our leader - working in PR for the PA? Or being elected to the Nazareth city council? So every city councillor of Petah Tikva, every PR person for the Israeli government is a Jewish-Israeli leader? If you want to be an Arab-Israeli leader, just use your contacts and suck up to the other leaders, and repeat exactly what they said. If you want to say what you really think, forget it. Your society will scold you.

I get tired of hearing "Palestinian citizens of Israel" complain about the Jewish state. When will they realise that it is the Jewish population that feels threatened. It feels threatened by Palestinians outside its' borders and the Arab world in general. So to see a minority that grows demographically, that identifies with Israel's enemies and not with the Jewish state, a minority that looks to dismantle the symbols of the state, that comemorates the "Naqba" as a vehicle of insult. While all along demanding further concessions that would only divide the gulf between the two communities further seems totally oblivious to reality. To be honest if they feel so put out by the Jews then maybe they should move the 20 miles it would take for them to live under the roof of their co-religionists. I do hope this starts a debate. I think this issue is more than just industrial zones and building permits. It has to do with Arab Israelis picking a side, Israel or Palestine.

Maybe if you learned how to function without a fairytale book you wouldn't have all these problems?

These people should return the money to the Israeli Government. Israel is in a state of war, and such behaviours in any other country would be considered treason. and to use the tax payers money to defame the country would be considered immoral... if not theft.

So the Zionist attempts at saving Jewish lives in WW2 meant dealing with their enemies. Shux what a revelation. THe article was a good one. Unfortunately,the writer reperesnts a very small percetage of Palestinian thought - too often hijacked or ovetaken by Hamas, Islamic Jihad etc & their bedfellows elsewhere including some who live Ireland.

Excuse me but I am an Israeli Jew and You are an Israeli Arab - We stopped becoming Palestinians when our fathers and forefathers (yes mine too - lived in Jerusalem and Hebron for seven generations) became Israelis in 1948. We are a democracy that needs to change and grow. It needs to be less descriminatory and it needs a national anthem that Jews and Arabs can both feel proud to sing. There have been changes in the positive - especially recently in areas like the Galil. We can and do live and work together. Inshallah, some day our children will learn together. We both have deep roots in this land. If we come together as one nation of Israel - in peace with one next door called Palestine, we can do wonders. The question for you and others is do you want to move forward? I say, those who want to move backward can just get out and go somewhere else - whether it's Nablus or Monsey - just leave us and take your racist vies elsewhere. You are not welcome here.

Abir and Eskandar, thank you both. You make me so proud of my palestinian heritage. Keep it up!! To Avi and the others, you guys are so blinded by hatred and selfishness that you can never see the other point of view (ie the Arab point of view). How pathetic?????

Palestinian and Israeli live side by side and we are in one world. We need to learn to live together. We dont need war we need to align as we live together. How do we provide for the food and water needs from France up to Russia.Do we create more attacks with bombings or do we create more hate. I vote for learning to live together in peace not war. With our ancestry how many brothers did Abraham have and who were their people. I saw Shen Yun this weekend with my children about China with the red army. The most beautiful orchestraic I have seen to date. The splendor of truth shown. We are of God and truth. The dance of the culture of the people and their lives and beauty. Now you know why the truth of love of a nation is in its songs and dance. Tell the world tell the world. When I arrive I will bring the fire make you come alive I will show you desire of the truth the way the holy light spread the word tell the world tell the truth. Rankoo-Karoon Lamb

in jail for 30 years this man would receive in algeria marocco tunisia egypt(coptes ...)lybia lebanon syria emirates( where immigrates are like slaves)just for speaking like this...radicalisation of arabs ,killings and bombs are at the origin of discrimination nothing else

I resent this way of transferring all the responsibility to others. Even if he got something right, I think that the situation of the Israeli Palestinians is more like the situation of other minorities in the Western countries (Basques, Irish people in GB and so on), than like the black people's during the apartheid or in the US before sixties. He blames everything on Israel, but really is Israel is the only reason why 60% of the Arab women don't work. Is it a coincidence that 80 % of the Egyptian women don't work? I think if anything Israel should be credited for having the education rate higher among the women than among the men, something unheard of in any other country. Israel has a lot to improve, but honest Palestinians have to recognize that in many ways Israel has contributed to the advancement of the local Arab population

The question is not if they are better off than before; it is whether they are as well off as they should be (which is just as well off as Jews are).

Abir and most of the anti-Israel talkbackers here have one thing in common: they view Jews as all-controlling super-beings. It would seem as if we own the world and can decide to settle where we like when we like, yet are in Israel as a simple game. How dare Israelis survive its wars! How dare we Jews feel threatened by 1 billion Muslims and their supporters who tell us every day that an Israel of any size is too much! How dare we don't give up the biggest miracle of all time, a people returning to its land after 2000 years. Yes, I believe that Abir should have her say, but it does not seem to me that she is remotely considering the majority population of the state of Israel.

The only giver is the God. Only God gives withouth taking any. If you don't give you can not take. First you have to give. This is the reality on the whole universe. Minority or not they are not exempt from this reality. We are not keeping them out of jobs they are keeping themselves by not making themselves competitive. The name of the game is economics. I must be crazy not to hire an employee who is qualified and cheap. "Abir was NOT talking about the history of Israel. She was talking about the history of the Jews before the state of Israel existed." I doubt it is different in Italy. Don't you teach the history of Roman Era or Leonardo Vinci or Roman catholicism in your schools to the minorities? Can you explain us why is it okey to teach Roman Catcholism in Italy to minorities and not Jewish history .

I don't know what you saw in Israel but you must not be able to see clearly. I was just there...staying right in Jaffa..I ate at arab restaurants..was served by arab waiters and waitresses...bought things at arab stores....and drank coffee at arab cafes. In a small town outside of Jerusalem,where I stayed in a religious hotel,the gift shop was owned and operated by an israeli arab. So don't confuse yourself with the facts...and by the way Israeli arab women are subsidized by the government according to how many babies they have..sound familiar as the u.s. does this also. As for this filmaker Copti...I would not pay one cent to see his film..he disgraces himself by being such a fool.

the arabs did not deny that jews lived in Palestine for 3500 years!!, sheesh the fact is that jews from europe deny that arabs lived there for 3500 years. u always manage to forget that there were many religions that lived on that land. The fact is all those people were arabs. whether they practiced Judaism or Christianity or Islam. the arabs are not the problem but people like you are. I personally saw jews celebrating the deaths of innocent arabs. so if you want to talk about hate lets begin with you, after all it is your people who invaded Palestine not the other way around. u r not the descendants of the tribes. bloody converts hate the fact that they have no history in palestine, so they try to deny others of it. no wonder so many people hate jews.

All the racist Jews seem to have crawled out of the woodwork for this one. Anyone who has ever spent substantial time in Israel (and I have) knows that Palestinians are treated like crap and are always at a disadvantage. Reading these posts is sickening- all of this "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" talk is rich coming from Israeli Jews who receive subsidies (housing, education, travel, etc.) at every turn. The posters' self-righteous attitudes make me wanna puke!

Did you ever wonder why the Lehi group did this??? TO SAVE JEWS FROM SLAUGHTER. when the world was turning the away in droves and the Nazis were bent on killing each and every one. You would "talk" with the enemy too if it could save your family, would you not? You would not try every way you could, or perhaps you have too high a principals and let them die...... Do you think they liked the Nazis? or agreed with them? And you use this to justify what exactly??? Put it in context please. It was nothing at all like the Mufti's joined agenda with Hitler which was done with pleasure. He wanted to kill the Jews. They wre trying to save lives.

Because Israel insists on not "Representing them".......

it is not Israel's fault that 80% are without work. And it is not wrong when we say that traditions of Arab society are part of the problem. My daughter would move to Tel Aviv for a new job, and study a way from home for the appropriate courses. Few Arab woman do so, or even can, as the constrains of their family life require them to be at home and work near home. Arab society is far more traditional than Israeli Jewish society and that comes from within. Could an Arab shop owner employ a Arab married lady from the same community to work with him in his shop unless she was a relative? No This gap is part of the problem and can only be solved by Arab society itself. Another reason is the high marriage rate of very young woman (18yrs and up) and polygamy. Let your daughers study and become teachers, doctors, lawyers, businesswoman enriching your own communities.

Murray: "You may not have noticed, Mr. Agora, but Abir has not gone to live in another country, she has stayed right where she was brought up". So, Murray - tell me this - if a person whose parents were of Serbian extraction grew up in Sarajevo, and subsequently chose to stay there when Yugoslavia was partitioned, should that person complain if the education in Bosnia is focused on the history of Muslim Bosniaks and not Serbs? Or should they perhaps choose to move to Serbia if they want a Serbian education? Perhaps they would rather stay in Bosnia and become a proud Bosnian? These choices face people all the time. Because borders can move, countries can be created, self-determination still occurs. It's just that some people get on with their lives, accept new realities and find peace, whereas others want to cry victim and keep the wounds open. Not good for them really, but where outsiders from e.g. Italy get off pouring salt on the wounds I just don't know.

were things so much better for you before the State Of Israel was established? were things better for you when you were ruled by the British before us? by the Turks before them? Isn't it better living under Jewish rule than any time in your prior history? stop lying to the world about how bad we are here!

If you feel that strongly?...no problem , just hand over your Israelien ID card and fade into your community. You can't have your cake and eat it too

Although I am mostly positive to this article I have to point out. The bodies he saw in 2000. As someone that saw what led up to them I have to say I was amazed that the death toll was not higher. That was a real situation which threatened the life of many people and I do not ( for once ) think the army/police over reacted If we all could take responsibility for our part in a conflict I think the dialogue would come easier

the new state's borders..." This is the crux of the matter. Jews and Christians do not want Jerusalem divided, Arab Muslims insist that it be. Jews and Christians want to share the Temple Mount, Muslims say no. The Ajami director seems to have his heart in the right place. How does he suggest these issues be resolved, being that Muslims are the late-comers to the Holy Land of the Jews and Christians? Was the soccer stadium in Northern Israel ever built? I remember Sharon saying he would look into it, since soccer is a sport uniting Jews and Arabs.

Aby of TLV, those were EXACTLY the arguments put forward under apartheid: "there is no investment in black education because the blacks don't pay enough taxes" (i.e. because they were systematically kept out of decent jobs). And Abir was NOT talking about the history of Israel. She was talking about the history of the Jews before the state of Israel existed. One of Israel's great achievements was the integration of her Arab minority. Since 1980, Israeli politicians, and people like you, have been actively working against that. And thereby working for the destruction of Israel.

I agree with you. But the fact remains that this is the only thing those people resort to... This is like the fantasy that God gave them the land, or that Intifada broke the peace process in 2000, or that Jews irrigated a desert, or that Israel is the only democracy in the ME...

complaining complaining and wating for a change. Start to depend of your own. "The many employers who do not hire Arabs" Are you qualified to do the jobs? This is economy of competition. You've to compete for a job, like every Israeli does. If you are better why should I don't hire you. "The development budget - hardly 4 percent of it reaches the Arab local authorities. " How many shekels did you pay tax last year? Zero and you get 4 percent. Start to generate wealth, like an average Israeli is generating. Pay taxes you'll get what you want. " I don't study my past, my identity I study the history of the Jewish people. " Whatever country you would live in you would study the history of that country. If you live in USA you are going to study USA history. Israel is not an exception. This is not the place to study your history, the place is Palistine. Why don't you move to WestBank or Gaza instead of living here as second class citizen. But you prefer to stay here.

When I first read the article, I was only partly convinced. Surely it can't be as bad as that! And then I read the talkbacks, and their reactions convinced me that Abir Kopty is completely right. Abir says: "Education - I don't study my past, my identity - I study the history of the Jewish people". And the reaction of Hamishim Agora from who-knows-where: "Should 2nd or 3rd generation Germans now living in Britain be taught British history or German?" You may not have noticed, Mr. Agora, but Abir has not gone to live in another country, she has stayed right where she was brought up. Now the history of the Jews in, say, 19th century Russia may be relevant for her to understand her fellow-countrymen; but surely so is also the history of the Arabs in 19th century Palestine? You claim not merely the right for the Jews to take over Israel, but the right to obliterate the history of all others there. And as for an "anti-Israel agenda", what nonsense!

....an Israeli/Jewish point of view,but it's always helpful to also try walking in the shoes of the other (Arab) side. For them it was simply pretty hard to understand,why they should have to pay for Nazi-Germanies crimes against the Jewish people. The International community at that time deserved at least as much of the blame for the conflict in 1948 by trying to force a solution upon the Arabs,instead of trying to convince them with generous (counter)offers, and by showing respect. And it is very well possible,that Zionism would have remained a mostly "secular, pragmatic" movement,if the Arabs would have accepted Israels right to exist in 1948. But fact is, that today Zionism has turned into a movement of religious zealotry and extremism,pretty much like Hamas on the other side,just a little bit more "distinguished". And the important question today,is how to turn those 2 "little monsters" on both sides back into pragmatic, reasonable movements...

"I personally saw Arab Israelis cheering in the streets and celebrating each time a Hizbullah missle landed in Israel, even though many of these missles landed in Arab neighborhoods and killed Arabs." Peter, sir, in Israel, contact between Arabs and Jews is quite minimal. Most of my Jewish Israeli friends confess to not evening personally knowing an Israeli Arab. So, excuse me for being skeptical of your comment. My guess is during your visit to Israel, you barely made visual contact with Israeli Arabs.

Labhras is right Jozef. Just google LEHI and the Ankara letter, and there you will find reputable sources for this Jewish groups offer to actively assist the Nazis in their war with England. By the way, the nazis did not reply.

I got a few examples to get you back on your message's title: 1- Baruch Goldstein 2- House Bulldozing 3- Eye for an Eye...

"What else does one expect someone indoctrinated in Arab Koranic history to say." Paul, you might be living in Jerusalem, but your name and your comment says that you're a complete stranger to this land! Abir Kopty is a Palestinian Christian woman! She was raised in a Christian home and probably learned the Bible in her school and home. But she's an indiginous Palestinian - something that you'll never be able to claim to be!

The following eloquently encapsulates the attachment of Israel to it's not wanting to listen, to anyone. "My problem is not with the sense of fear and being threatened; my problem is with how the political system uses these feelings and manipulates them to shut the eyes of the people and block their ears - to silence all opposition to policy. Because the Jewish people are not the only people who have suffered, there are many other nations that are suffering, and you have to see this. My problem is that specifically a nation that suffered so much cannot see beyond itself and its own home." Is he right?The have been no reports of Arabs in Israel attacking the state. They really do exerise restraint that shames Israel's reactiveness. They don't appear to throw molotov cocktails,serially kill Israelis, yet they are not appreciated for their contribution to the community. Is this an inherent problem in the Judaic teachings? Are Jews unable to express their faith in a peaceful mode?

Even the way the question was presented: "Do Israeli Palestinians want to be part of Israeli society?" has its hidden meaning. Do Jews want Israeli Palestinians to be part of Israeli society? No. Jews want Israeli Arabs to be part of their society and not Israeli Palestinians. All Palestinians, Israeli and non-Israeli should be part of Palestinian society. Leave us, we don't need your understanding, your complains and you personally. You are not part of our society.

an admirable Israeli

One minute a Palestinian, then a Palestinian Citizen of Israel. Never descibes herself as Israeli. She's a member of a Palestinian Government institution. Talks about Palestinians wanting their own state next to Israel. Every argument says, effectively, that she is waiting to be a part of the Palestinian invention of a state, but in the meanwhile wants to be treated fully as part of Israeli society, even though this loyalty is merely a matter of convenience - not a long-term deep-seated loyalty to Israel. Each issue is debated with a very shallow view-point. Considering that Israel has a small part of Mandatory Palestine, and that a 3rd Palestinian-majority State might arise in the West Bank, why does she expect to be educated with an anti-Israel narrative in Israel? Will the PA start teaching in WB schools that Jews inhabited the WB whilst Arabs were still in Arabia? Should 2nd or 3rd generation Germans now living in Britain be taught British history or German?

You comment that he doesn't serve in the IDF. Neither do the haredim. Sp what?

you had to declare blind loyalty to the state. I thought that was for the likes of Nazi Germany

It's eerie how closely their arguments in this talkback come to those of other supremacists. "Paul" from Jerusalem: did you know that exactly that argument was used for hundreds of years to justify slavery? "The black slaves on my plantation are treated much better than they would have been in Africa." And Mr. Already from nowhere (always a good sign!): "the blacks will have to earn their civil rights by showing several generations of loyalty to the State". Nice to know what company you keep.

When I read "sof tov hakol tov" I waited for something else to follow. The "sof tov" being making it up after so many decades of hostility.

What else does one expect someone indoctrinated in Arab Koranic history to say. Someone who has not had the wisdom from experiencing how Arab regimes treat their own people, doesn't really have the terminology or frame of reference to honestly criticize the Jewish state. It's just regurgitated Arab political propaganda. The bottom line is that by far the majority of Arabs would rather live under the wonderful life Israel offers to them, then a totalitarian Muslim regime where the only gain is that they won't have a Jew telling them anything.

benefits and instead of working within system,Arab judges and all,just kick over the whole bucket. Now why not hold your head high,move to the Islamic republic of Palestine join a powerful clan and you should be happy. Don't torture yourself.Where is your honor? Move to paradise now.

We have a new generation of educated, civilized Palestinians, which is great. But the conflict between the Israelis and palestinians started and continued for so many years not because the Israelis just couldn't treat the poor Palestinians as human beings and equals, and were obsessed with the idea that "god gave us the land" (zionism started as and continued for many years to be a secular, pragmatic movement), but rather because the "old" Palestinians and their Arab brothers were a bunch of uneducated, violent and savage people who didn't recognize the rights of the jews to have a state ANYWHERE on the former British Palestine, and did everything they could (including terror and wars) to kill the jews and chase them out. It's a bit diffiucult to treat "fairly" someone who's constantly trying to kill you. It's only in the 1990s (!) the the Palestinians were willing to accept Israel's right to exist at all. So it's not really the attitude of the Israelis which started this whole mess...

Do you really believe all propaganda lies, you are posting ? Can you give us any reputed historian,who will confirm your cotribution?

how about a picture and more information about the fascinating woman interviewed in the article?

"My problem is with how the Israeli political system uses scare tactics to blind people to the truth." - Never a truer word said and its not only your problem, its every peace loving person's whose rights are constantly debased and abused.

This is not an interview but an interrogation. Abir is basically assumed to be a traitor just because she is an Arab, but she handles these aggressive questions with remarkable tolerance, sophistication and grace. Since very few resources are put into Arab education and into integrating Arab youth into Israeli society, I recommend that all Arab youth learn this interrogation by heart. This way they will know how to respond to the incredibly complex issues around their identity that they have to face every day. Abir, your words are a great service to all of Israeli society.

....would start treating her Palestinian neighbours in a slightly more respectful way, young Israeli Arabs like Kopty would be more than willing to become loyal citizens of the (mainly Jewish) state of Israel. However, that would simply require that a majority of Israelis would finally get away fromt the whole "God gave us the land" BS, and therefore be willing to share the land. Believe me, God would definitely appreciate that, and very much so....

I am happy that Ajami did not win an Oscar.What a bunch of hypocrites Scandar Copti, Abir Kopty and their ilk are.The Jordanian royal family are refugees from Arabia after being expelled by the Al Saud family in their fight for control of Mecca.Jews are more indigenous than the Jordanian royal family and most of the so-called Palestinians are one generation away from Kuwait, Syria, Egypt and such places coming to take up economic opportunities created by Jews.The moment that Arabs acknowledge the injustice they did to Jews, it will be possible to discuss how to amend it. Arab Israelis will never be able to integrate into Jewish Israel until they owe up to this basic injustice.

Good riddance to you and Co.

wonder what exactly needs to happen so that you can experience first hand "how" exactly acceptable it was 60 years ago... or more. I guess some people would bind self in a nice bowtie, just to find some way to explain why US watched slaughter of Jewish people in WWII and didn't move a mustache hair. By the way, Rwanda was in 1998... is it 20 years now? Man, a pesky 40 years down the road and some other bitch can get away with just as nice turn of a tongue.

Working women have less children & are more progressive. The fact is arab society, even in Israel continues to oppress women who are treated as 2nd class citizens & baby machines. This is why most Israeli-arabs don't hire women.

Abir Kopty, her balanceds views and her global vision should be an example for Israelis. Alas, national braiwashing has turned most Jews of this country totally self centered and unable to have any global vision... Unfortunately, when arrogance leads to an ignorance of suche level, there is a price to pay, on the long run.

Israel cease fire broders are not disputed by none in the international ommmunity. Illegal? Who? what? Moreover...who cares???? Plan Dalet was a defensive plan. Who would expect from a tiny community encecled by a sea of enemies to wait to be exterminated in order to start reacting. I must admit that few people would expect CJ. If history would repeat again he would not attack preemtively the Nazis. It would be a violation of international law. Sounds stupid doesn't it? Thanks God that Jews in israel are different now.

I am sad arab israeli citizens feel not belonging. The state must do the right thing to promote equality.

I would love to have a dialogue with any person who can put forth such sensible vues. There is little I would disagree with. Wish I were younger so that I could actively participate in the realization of the dreams put forth by Abir Kopty. Thank you David Gutholc dgutholc@netvision.net,il

I don't care if you went to Hadassah Medical or the Technion. If you didn't serve in the army, then I'm going to give preference to the applicant who did his time. Don't want to fight your ethnic brethren? Fine. National service. Then we'll talk.

Sadly - Abir - either intentionally or unintentialy is dilusional about Palestinian peace intentions. The only peace Palestinians want is the the peace of the non existence of Israel. The do not tell thier left hand what the right hand is doing

I'll make it short and everybody will understand: I'M VERY VERY GLAD THAT AJAMI DIDN'T GET THE OSCAR

Contact with Nazi authorities German cover letter from January 11, 1941 attached to a description of an offer for an alliance with Nazi Germany attributed to Lehi. In 1940, Lehi proposed intervening in World War II on the side of Nazi Germany. It offered assistance in "transferring" the Jews of Europe, in return for Germany's help in expelling Britain from Mandate Palestine. Late in 1940, Lehi representative Naftali Lubenchik was sent to Beirut where he met the German official Werner Otto von Hentig. Lubenchik told von Hentig that Lehi had not yet revealed its full power and that they were capable of organizing a whole range of anti-British operations. Try some balance Brad--that would have allowed you to add that Menachem begin --leader of irgun and yitzak shamir leader of lehi --former terrorists are now your heroes. Precautionary Principle---what,s that you say???.

And this is the Israel that claims to be democratic and representative of all it,s citizens. Sure it is.

Before the second intifadah, my family used to love visiting arab villages, eating in their restaurants and talking with the people. today i would never dream of it. they rejoiced and celebrated when israel was attacked, many participated in stone throwing riots. i dont visit their villages now because i still think they secretly want to kill me.

The majority of Palestinians, inside and outside of Israel, feel the same as Abir. A very tiny minority engage in violent resistance to occupation, and all but a miniscule number of Palestinians hunger to be allowed to live in peace with their neighbors. As Abir says, the Palestinians speak out in non-violent ways, but Israel doesn't listen but instead responds with bullets.

Arabs who think like this a first and foremost, a tiny minority in this region of the world. The only reason they can and do think about integration and long term goals of peace is precisely because of the democracy and education that the JEWS of Israel brought to the Arab society! Arab young intellectuals, like this one, do NOT represent the so called "Arab society" either. Instead, Arab society is increasingly influenced and spoken for by jihadists and rejectionists (of a Jewish State in Mideast). On another note, the claim that all the Palestinians want is their own sovereign states is inaccurate, since their is no true democracy, fre press, and civil society in Palestinian authorities to articulate what it is that they want. They may not want to be under occupation, but perhaps they prefer to go back to Jordanian/Egyptian rule, where they had stability and security??

Its no time for Israelis to take chances. The Pals, despite the portray of them being victims to the nth degree, are largely responsible for their predicament. Yes, the young Arab leader did not tear the flesh of people sitting down for an evening of Pizza but pray, tell me, how Israelis can differentiate those that will and those that won't, those that will conspire with those who wish to tear more flesh off of Jews and those who see them as people, those who would now be willing, as their ancestors were, to join the Grand Mufti's Arab brigade to pitch in for the "final solution", and those that despoiled the most sacred site in Judaism by treating it as a dump. I won't even get into the actual murder of Jews, befoere their was any occupation, any scent of Israel and any scent of a Jewish majority.

I haven't been to Israel yet, but I have been to Morocco and Tunisia long ago (Been Broke Since Then. Lame Excuse.). I remember being on a tourist bus and watching the eyes of an Arab Kid, staring with fire perhaps towards the bus I was in. It was uncomfortable to say the least, but it is common knowledge that lots of Arab People like some Israeli People too, feel disenfranchised of something. Let's assume most people feel this way. It's a common human feeling but the expression varies from person to person. So I think the intelligent answer for the Arabs of Israel and the Middle East is ask how can the State of Israel and the Arabs within it act as a vehicle for the Common Arab Man or Woman to attain something that they perhaps have never been able achieve from within the Arab World? The insight of the Jewish People, together with the vision of Progressive Arab Peoples from both within and from outside Israel to create something new and prosperous for all the Middle East.

to stap thasir war on Israel before they complain about any "discrimination" by Israel. They and their leaders are beahving as traitors to the state inwhich they live, yet they have unmittigated gall to complain about how they are treated. This person and others like her, male and female don't lose a moment to undermine the state of Israel and the Jews. Just listen to their answers to the siple and direct questions about their loyalty and their sincerity. LIARS and TRAITORS they all are. they must earn the trust and acceptance of the jews--nothing less: EARN IT. thus far they have had 60 years and have done nothing but undermine the state and complain about their poor lot in life. LEAVE IT AND BE GONE. I have utter contempt to this pretended wronged party and her crocodile tears, and I'm even more disgusted by the bleeding heart spineless dhimmi jews who express sympathy with such a traitor as she, or if you like more simply an enemy in our camp.

Abir Kopty "is a member of the Nazareth City Council AND serves as a spokeswoman for the Palestinian government?" And Haaretz interviews here as representative of the Israeli Arabs? Not helping the Arab-Israeli case at all.

I couldn't have said it better.

I hope and pray that ur words are indeed the Israeli Arab intentions. If that is the case I am sure ur future is as bright as that of Israelis. Just now it behooves Israeli Arabs to remember that their actions towars Jews and the intentions in many Atrab quarters to this day leaves realistic policy makers in a bind and they must act as if the worst of Arab intentions r still dominant.

Interestng a peaceful revolution by denying its citizenship of a Jewish state Israel interesting. By denying the radical undertone of the Arab society in Israel (think of the Islamic movements popularity in Israel which is a Hamas movement) Abir Kopty forgets to paint the full picture of the Arab society. Moreover, the status of Arab women is a problem created 99% by its own Arab/Muslim society. Arab women can work if they want unlike in many Arab countries but its own society limits them. By having the typical Pavlov reaction of blaming Israel for all the ills of its own society Abir shows to be a leader in the true tradition of Arab politicians who only blame Israel and not themselves for their own problems. Arab politicians should stand up and first clean their own dirty little house. Also claiming that Arab Israeli terrorism is condemned by him but that he of course only remembers the dozen or so death during October 2000 is a selective memory.Kopti you do not convince me.

It has taken over a century for NZ Europeans to admit that Maori were dispossessed despite the Treaty of Waitangi. It has taken even longer for Australia to "say sorry" to the Aboriginals. The white population in the US took even longer to admit ill treatment of Native Americans and Blacks. Jewish Israelis have a long way to go. For the moment far too many regard myth as history...

As an American Jew, I am proud that my Palestinian brothers and sisters have found strong, new voices. The state of Israel was founded during the tail-end of the era of ethnic nationalism and mass population transfers. What was quasi-acceptable 60 years ago is absolutely unacceptable in today's world. The ethnic state is no longer considered a democracy, and the younger generations of Americans and American Jews are coming to understand this. The future lies with the young enlightened, articulate Palestinian leadership that I am seeing in the United States and Israel. Hopefully, Palestinian and Jewish youth together will enforce peace and justice in the region.

"Israel was not founded on the ruins of Palestinian villages." 1/3rd of what Israeli illegally claims as it's own was. http://wp.me/PDB7k-Y#northern-border http://wp.me/PDB7k-Y#southern-border "Palestinians refused to accept the UN partition.." Palestinians had no say. Israel accepted. A unilateral decision, binding Israel to a set of boundaries. http://wp.me/PDB7k-Y#the-big-lie "..and joined Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq in declaring war against Israel" They did not. They had no say & the majority of those still alive today were only children in 1948. http://wp.me/pDB7k-m1 (don't they teach maths where you live?) " They started the war " Plan Dalet started the war Israel inherited. http://wp.me/pDB7k-ki "..and lost it." Irrelevant to territorial rights of non-state entities. It is inadmissible to acquire territory by war. (UNSC) "Jews have lived in that land continuously for 3,500 years.." So have other folk. We (Jewish folk) have always been a minority.

Israel was not founded on the ruins of Palestinian villages. Palestinians refused to accept the UN partition and joined Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq in declaring war against Israel. They started the war and lost it. That is the consequence of bad decisions. Jews have lived in that land continuously for 3,500 years, but Palestinians deny that. Finally, I was in Israel during the war with Hizbullah. I personally saw Arab Israelis cheering in the streets and celebrating each time a Hizbullah missle landed in Israel, even though many of these missles landed in Arab neighborhoods and killed Arabs.

Years ago, here in the USA, and particularly in the south, a person making these kind of statements would have been considered "uppity."

The title is inappropriate. Is this part of the "Hasbarah" ?

If what you are saying is true of most Israeli Arabs, there is hope. Don't stop saying what you are saying, or hope will disappear. Israel is scared of different histories for different peoples for good reason. But I hope, if acceptance and accomodation is begun slowly, it will eventually accept this as well.