100%

Scanned image of the page. Keyboard directions: use + to zoom in, - to zoom out, arrow keys to pan inside the viewer.

Page Options

Share

Something wrong?

Something wrong with this page? Report problem.

Rights / Permissions

The University of Michigan Library provides access to these materials for educational and research purposes. These materials may be under copyright. If you decide to use any of these materials, you are responsible for making your own legal assessment and securing any necessary permission. If you have questions about the collection, please contact the Bentley Historical Library at bentley.ref@umich.edu

May 01, 2008 - Image 22

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish News, 2008-05-01

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

Worl d

Arab Boycott

Israeli Arabs are conflicted by state's 60th celebrations.

Dina Kraft
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

The boycott of this year's
Independence Day celebrations
comes with the newfound out-
Baqa al-Gharbiyeh, Israel
spokenness of the Israeli Arab
intelligentsia, who published a
controversial document in 2006
or Jalal Sawalha, Israel's
calling for greater Arab power in
60th anniversary is no
the Jewish state.
reason to celebrate.
The authors of that docu-
"I don't feel like this is our
ment, "The Future Vision of
country," the young Arab Israeli
the Palestinian Arabs in Israel:'
said bitterly in the back of his
argued that Israel cannot be both
family's small convenience store
a Jewish and democratic state,
on the winding main road of
and they called for eliminat-
Baqa al-Gharbiyeh, a large Arab
ing the Jewish character of the
town just on the Israel side of the
national anthem and flag.
Green Line, which demarcates
One of those authors,
the boundary between Israel and
Mohammed
Marzouk, is the
Palestinian laborers work on a building in Givat Zeiev, in the West Bank. Israel considers the land part
the West Bank.
director
of
the
Baqa al-Gharbiyeh
of Jerusalem. Palestinians says it has been confiscated.
Swalha says it's fine if Jews
branch of Shatil, a division of the
want to celebrate Israel's
New Israel Fund that counsels
Independence Day. "It's their lives, they
in Israel, commonly refer to Israel's
Benvenisti suggested that Dichter's
nonprofit organizations. Marzouk says
can do what they want:' he said. "But it's
Independence Day as al Nakba — Arabic
comments were reminiscent of the years
Palestinian Israelis are graduating to a
not part of our life!'
for "the catastrophe!'
of Israel's military rule over its Arab
new level of political consciousness.
Standing behind the counter, Sawalha's
For them, Israel's independence con-
minority from 1949 to 1967, when the
"In the past, we would sing
aunt, Enam Hamzi Ganaim, a journalist
stituted the national tragedy of defeat for
government expected Arab compliance in
Independence Day songs and put up
and poet wearing a headscarf and a long
the Arabs and the creation of hundreds of return for promises of favors like paved
flags, but today we don't do that;' he said.
dress typical of observant Muslim women, thousands of Arab refugees.
roads and increased municipal budgets.
"People would be ashamed to do se
has a different view.
"There is more awareness now of our
Trying to soften his message, Dichter
Marzouk is helping plan a week of local
"I have rights here, I think of this coun- collective memory and an attempt by peo- said in the same remarks that Israel
"Nakba" activities — commemorations
try as mine and I enjoy my life here;' she
ple to try to preserve it," said Mohammed
belonged to its Arabs and other minority
that have gained currency among Israeli
said. "I'm not celebrating, but I'm still
Amara, an Arab Israeli political scientist
groups as much as it belongs to the Jews.
Arabs in the last decade. The schedule
Israeli!'
who lecturers at Israel's Beit Berl College.
None of them "have any other country"
includes visits to the sites of villages
Their sentiments reflect the contra-
Avi Dichter, Israel's public security min- but Israel to call home, he said.
destroyed during and after Israel's 1948
dictions many Arab Israelis feel as both
ister, has asked the country's Arab leader-
Israel's 1.3 million Arab citizens com-
War of Independence, as well as work-
citizens and outsiders 60 years after Israel ship to reconsider their planned boycott.
prise about a fifth of the country's popula- shops and lectures.
was established as a Jewish state.
But his entreaties to the Israeli Arab popu-
tion. Although technically equal under
He said Israeli Arabs and Jews need to
Reactions to this year's planned 60th
lation have not gone smoothly, especially
the law, Israeli Arabs — also known as
acknowledge each other's histories if they
anniversary celebrations have highlighted following remarks he gave in Shfaram, the Palestinian Israelis — commonly face dis- are to build bridges of understanding.
some of the fundamental differences
one Arab town whose mayor has agreed to crimination in areas ranging from jobs to
"As long as Jewish citizens don't acknowl-
between Israel's Arab and Jews, evoking
hold festivities.
housing and community development.
edge the grief, it will be hard for us to
complex questions of identity and clash-
In Shfaram, Dichter reportedly said,
accept their independence; Marzouk said.
ing historical narratives.
"Those who sit year after year and cry
Jewish Ambivalence
For Madjy Abu-Mokh, 16, the contrast-
In one of the more stark rebuffs to
about the Nakba shouldn't be surprised if
Israeli Jews are ambivalent about the
ing approaches of his country's planned
Israel, the country's Committee of Arab
in the end they really do have a Nakba."
country's Arab population. Some decry
celebrations and his community's planned
Mayors called for a boycott of the celebra-
Some Israeli Jews condemned the
their discrimination, but many view the
commemorations present a painful puzzle.
tions. The mayors want to drive home the
remarks.
country's Arabs as a fifth column, disloyal
"I'm not sure what to think:' he said. "I
message that Israel's establishment came
"Only paranoia and a repressed feel-
to the state and a potential threat to its
am an Arab, so I feel an obligation to take
at the expense of the Palestinian people
ing of guilt could produce the shocking
Jewish population. Israeli Arabs at times
part in Nakba activities and need to know
— their people.
sentence:' Ha'aretz columnist Meron
have been implicated in abetting terrorist
what happened. But on the other hand, I'm
Palestinians, including many Arabs
Benvenisti wrote.
attacks against Israeli Jews.
a citizen of this country" El

F

A22 may_t • 2008

Back to Top

© 2024 Regents of the University of Michigan