Some people point out the large income gap and the higher infant mortality rates between Israel's Arab and Jewish citizens. It should be noted that despite the higher infant mortality rates of Arabs in Israel, Arabs STILL tend to have more children than the Jews. Plus in Arab society women are discouraged from working. This reduces the average income of the Arab population in Israel.
Despite Israel's shortcomings on integrating its Arab citizens, Arabs and Muslims in Israel are treated much better than Jews, Christians, and atheists in most Arab/Muslim countries. Unlike Christians, Jews, and atheists in Muslim countries, Arabs/Muslims in Israel are not subject to any form of state sponsored discrimination. Arabs and Muslims actually have protection from employment and housing discrimination similar to the protections enjoyed by minorities in the U.S. and Europe. In case the rights of Arabs/Muslims are violated there are many groups, such as Adalah, which defend Arab victims of discrimination in Israeli courts. This type of protection is not available to non-Muslims in most Muslim countries.
Arabs/Muslims make up a large part of Israeli society. For example:
- Many Arabs play on the Israeli soccer team
- 10% of the Israeli Kessenet is Arab/Muslim
- An Arab Justice, Salim Joubran, holds a seat on the Israeli Supreme Court
- Israel's Science, Technology, Culture, and Sports Minister, Raleb Majadele, is Arab
- The Israeli government is currently implementing a 4-year, 4 billion shekel plan to develop infrastructures in the Arab sector
- Israeli Arabs attend and lecture in every Israeli university (despite contrary claims of the British AUT)
- Diplomatic posistions are filled by Arabs in Finland, many South American countries, and even the Israeli consulate in Atlanta
- The Israeli declaration of independence clearly encourages Israel's Arab citizens to stay in the country and live among the population in peace and clearly calls for equal civil rights for the Arab minority:
From the Israeli Declaration of Independance
* Most of the above information was found on HonestReporing
Israeli Arabs: Unequal Citizens - from the BBC
The Arabs of Israel: Citizens Without Citizenship
The Dilemma of Israeli Arabs
Israeli Arabs Struggle to Fit in
Israeli Arabs - from wikipedia.org
Cheering the Home Team- from AFP. Claims Arabs are treated like second class citizens
Cultural Gap Tears Israeli Arabs - talks about Israeli Arabs in the IDF
The Arabs in Israel: A Surging New Identity
Myths and Facts about Israeli Arabs
I am a Lucky Arab - from an Israeli Arab
Israeli Arabs Speak out on Holocaust Comparison - Israeli-Arabs call for tolerance, reject comparisons between Palestinian suffering and Holocaust
Enter the Israeli Arabs
Palestinians who Cling to Israel
Sports Illustrated Mars Story on Jewish Arab Soccer Team
Defense Minister Amir Peretz appointed MK Raleb Majadele as the Labor party's seventh minister, Minister of Science, Technology, Culture, and Sports. Majadele is the first Arab to be appointed minister in the State of Israel since its inception.
Peretz met with Majadele Wednesday and informed him of his decision. The defense minister said that his appointment was historic and would no doubt bring about an improvement in the relationships between the different sectors in Israel.
-January 10 2007
Israel Adopts Affirmative Action Policy
In a move to upend historical discrimination, the Israeli cabinet has approved affirmative action rules for government jobs for Arabs and others.
Although Muslims make up 16 percent of Israeli citizens and Arabs make up 20 percent, neither group make up the same percentage in government.
-March 12 2006
I am opposed to all forms of affirmative action (especially the kind america is currently giving to blacks) but this article shows that Israel is trying hard to acheive equality between its jewish and non-jewish citizens.
IDF says 'no' to Arab Pilot
The IDF's Personnel Directorate has decided to reject the request of an18-year-old Arab Muslim from northern Israel who sought to join the army's prestigious pilot training course.
....
However, the teen's father said the youth plans to appeal the decision to IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz, and if needed even take the matter to court, in order to open the pilot course for Arab Muslims as well.
....
The youth was very disappointed when he opened the envelope sent to him from the recruiting office and discovered that he was being summoned to the paratroopers' course instead of the pilot course.
"Now I plan to join the paratroopers, but do not intend to give up on my dream to be a pilot. I will try again and again, until the door opens. I was educated to be devoted to the State and asked to join the Air Force because I believe that it is a great privilege and not a duty to serve in the army of the State where I grew up," he said.
-January 10 2006
Arab Paper Says Arabs Will Increase Representation in Knesset
Arabs are expected to vote at a higher rate than Jews, potentially increasing their representation to 10 seats and becoming a more likely coalition partner for Kadima.
-March 28 2006
Israeli Arabs to Mubarak: Learn From Israel
Some 100 Israeli Arabs held a rally Wednesday outside the Egyptian embassy in Tel Aviv in protest of what they perceive as the country’s failed handling of the traffic accident in Sinai which left 12 Israelis dead.
The demonstrators also protested the lenient sentence handed to the bus driver involved in the accident, who will serve only one year in prison.
"Learn from Israel what human dignity means. Human dignity is a primary value in Israel," the protesters shouted.
Participants in the rally held up signs saying, "12 killed, 12 months in jail - justice Egypt-style," and "State of Israel - doesn’t abandon injured and killed citizens."
-September 16 2006
Arab Leader Expresses Support for Katsav
The feast was attended by Muslim leaders in Israel who also expressed their full support of Katsav. Sheik Darwish, who said he wished Katsav to emerge from the affair "pure are snow", spoke with Ynet after the event. "Personally I was surprised that the media has already hung him the town square," said Sheik Darwish, "I cannot accept that such a distinguished media in a democratic nation would hand the president in the town square before an indictment is even filed and a court has made its ruling. We are a country governed by laws, so let us let the law do it job. Secondly, President Katsav is a very warm man, gracious, close to every Jew and Arab, and we are astounded to hear what the media tsunami has stirred up."
During the even Sheik Darwish addressed Katsav: "Mr. President, we are in a democratic country today. The media – you are not a courthouse and you should report without making accusations. I have a request of you Mr. President: after seeing your smile today, I wish for you to widen it."
Darwish's words drew thunderous applause and the Sheik ended his speech by saying "I hope we will see Mr. Katsav pure as snow again, serving this region and the peace in many places."
-October 18 2006
do you think mr. Darwish would agree that Israel is an aparatheid state?
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Comment:
Those interested in the subject of the treatment of Israeli Arabs should read Susan Nathan's book:The Other Side of Israel. Nathan, a Jewish woman living in an Arab village in Israel tells from her experience and observation about the flagrant discrimination against the Arabs and how they are being slowly but surely squeezed out of what was once their country.