EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK

Dinner Table Enlightenment

Migdal HaEmek
on what rights they actually get."
What they don't get, admittedly, is the same per-capita per-
ver a Mediterranean dinner of Israeli, Iraqi and
centage of Israel's budget.
Moroccan delicacies, we pondered Israel's future, post-
More significant is the lack of Arab loyalty to Israel. Bitan's
Arafat. We also scrutinized Jewish-Arab relations with-
work
as a municipal consultant takes him into Arab parts of
in the Jewish state.
Israel,
where he urges Arabs to accept the duties of citizenship.
Danny Bitan, 41, shared his right-wing view. Ysachar
"And the first duty," Bitan said, "is to be loyal to this coun-
Morad, 56, had a more moderate take. At times, the discus-
try because this country gave them more than all the Arab
sion became hotter than the dinner peppers that kept me
countries did. The Arabs in Israel have a much higher stan-
sharp after a nine-hour flight from Newark and a 90-minute
dard of living when compared to those in Jordan, Egypt,
bus ride from Ben-Gurion Airport to this demographically
Lebanon, Iraq, Iran and Syria. And they are not giving any-
young, high-tech city in Israel's Central Galilee.
thing back. They say, 'OK, we deserve it.'"
I arrived in the region with Michigan
For example, Arabs seldom volunteer to serve in the Israeli
Jewry's Partnership 2000 steering committee.
army. And many ignore construction laws, knowing enforce-
The trip marked the 10th anniversary of eco-
ment is sporadic.
nomic, educational, cultural and social ties
with Migdal HaEmek, Nazareth Illit and the
Jezreel Valley. The region of 120,000 people
Cloudy Forecast
includes many Russian, South American and
Discussion
also exposed the underbelly of the Mideast conflict.
Ethiopian immigrants. Our dinner hosts
Bitan
said
Israelis never see Jordanians and Egyptians as
were Morad's sister Rachel Rotbaum and her
tourists
despite
Israel's peace treaties with Jordan and Egypt.
ROBERT A. husband, Arie. Ysachar, Rachel, three siblings
You can see them in our educational and medical systems,"
and
their
parents
fled
Iraq
in
1952
for
Israel
SKLAR
he said, "but their countries still look at us through a mirror as
and a chance at a better life.
Editor
enemies. They are not looking at us as
Bitan jolted the conver-
potential friends."
sation with tough talk
A successful businessman in computer
about Arabs in the Middle East wanting
graphics,
Morad has taught at the
everything but offering little. Active in the
University
of Haifa. He says Israeli Arab
partnership from the start, he is commit-
students
told
him that Israeli Jews are a
ted to helping it become a business force
historical
accident.
Even an Arab friend in
on both sides of the Atlantic.
nearby
Nazareth
favors
Israel's destruc-
"From my way of thinking," he said,
tion,
he
says.
"there are enough Arabs to care for the
I buy Bitan's assessment that the
Arabs and enough Jews to take care of the
Palestinians
won't rush toward peace
Jews. The Arabs have enough money,
despite
the
Nov.
11 death of their long-
enough men, enough of everything. I
time
terrorist
leader,
Yasser Arafat. With
don't think Jewish money should go and
Rachel Rotbaum and Danny Bitan 220 million Muslims in the Middle East,
help Arabs."
Bitan said, "there is no reason for them to
make peace with Israel. We are just a very small dot
on the region. And they believe that we will not be
Edgy But Sound
here; its only a question of time."
Bitan's hard line was surprising given that the
Hating us unites them. That is why Palestinian
other Michigan dinner guest, Karen Kaplan of
Authority textbooks preach anti-Zionism. It is why
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's
all poverty and disease in the territories is blamed
Israel and overseas staff, pointed out that Jewish
on Israel. It is why weapons take precedence over
money supports Israeli learning opportunities
infrastructure. This enables Fatah, Hamas and
that help Jews and Arabs become acquainted.
Ysachar
Morad
other militant leadership factions to incite. Morad
Bitan was born in Paris but is a 30-year Israeli.
is right: Nothing will change without a Palestinian
He and his wife, Ariela, have two small children.
cultural shift that inspires civilized leadership.
A technology leadership consultant educated at the University
We can't settle for flaccid fixes. Like Bitan says, "We have to
of Haifa, he is sensitive to something many diaspora Jews are
make our enemies understand that we're not going to leave
not: Arabs may be friendly, but few are willing to validate the
here. When they understand that, they'll understand that we
Jewish state.
have mutual interests, that there's no need for war and that
"I don't think the Arabs are ready yet to understand that the
their life will be better."
House of Israel is something that will stay forever and ever," he
Even a negotiated peace wouldn't excite Rachel Rotbaum,
said. "I'm always for peace. I'm always for making the first step.
the mother of two teenagers. "I don't trust that peace would
But I want it to be a two-way street. We Jews — with our dig-
be real," she said.
nity — are the problem. We take steps without expecting any-
I'm not sure I'd be excited, either.
thing back. And the other side is interpreting that as weakness."
Ysachar Morad's hope was the perfect sendoff.
I agree. Peace will remain a pipe dream until Jews the world
"All my prayers are that it will be quiet here in my lifetime,"
over do a gut check and demand that Arabs become an equal
Morad
said. "I have doubts about our situation here. I built
partner in the cauldron that is the Middle East.
myself
economically
and I speak some languages, so I can take
Morad, 56, continually provided context. "By law," he said,
my whole family and leave here.
"Israeli Arabs have the same rights as Jews do. They can vote,
But I'm not going away because I think there is a chance
and they have all of the rights to education and every social
that the Land of Israel can return to Paradise."
right. They're always demonstrating, seeking to close the gap

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