Ishmael Khaldi is the name of the new Counsellor for Civil Society Affairs at the Israeli Embassy in London. The 38-year old, dark-skinned Bedouin is a Muslim and the first of his tribe in the Foreign Service of the Jewish state. He spent the first 15 years of his life with his family in a big tent in Northern Galilee. Stipends to a secondary school in Haifa and university, years of further learning in the United States, the military and internal security service culminated in his current role as diplomat. The new Israeli Ambassador to Oslo is a Druze, a member of a tribe that is wide-spread in the Middle East, and which has behaved loyally towards Israel since the time of its foundation. His deputy is an Arab Christian, and Arab Muslims are present in high offices too.
Nine further Druzes, amongst them two women, are also diplomats. It is a significant fact that Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, ill-reputed as saturnine reactionary and proponent of Apartheid, is here the representative of a policy that is more open.
I know from my own, ten year experience as Chairman of the Board of the Ben-Gurion University of Beer Sheva in the Negev how close and purposeful Israelis and Bedouins cooperate on the education of young "children of the desert". Originally the University, whose founding had been inspired by David Ben-Gurion, was intended for newly arrived immigrants who did not have the intellectual levels of the old-established citizens or did not bring with them relevant education from their parental homes. They were meant to be looked after in this new university in the South of the Negev which could not compete with the higher standards of the universities in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
But something different happened: As, on the one hand, a world-renowned hospital for tropical diseases developed in Beer Sheva, and on the other hand the best scientists in this area did research in nuclear science the level of existing qualified teachers rose to such an extent that the young university soon made a name for itself in the country and the world. Thus not only students from all over Israel but also the Bedouins benefited. Founder of the state, David Ben-Gurion, who spend the last years of his life in a kibbutz in the middle of the Negev, once told me: "Our ancestors lived in tents too. I wish for nothing more than that our neighbours strive for and acquire the best: knowledge."
Since in Israel all are equal before the law and are entitled to both elect and be elected, Arabs participate in the Israeli political system as citizens. Some, by choice, are active members of the various political parties - left, right and center - where they are active in the political life of Israel and for whose parties they vote. Others, prefer the "apartheid" type approach: they, freely, have set up Arab only political parties and enjoy the political freedom afforded them in Israel through these parties, to which they vote and in which Arabs only are elected. The choice, it is important to emphasize, is that of the Arab citizens of Israel themselves.
In other words, those MKs from the Arab parties have no opportuinity to "make any difference," since they are excluded from governance.
Please note that I am speaking specifically about the Knessit, not individuals who are in civil service or the judiciary. But then again, I don't think people in the civil service or judiciary should be acting out of political motivations.
In Israel, all are equal before the law: blacks and whites, men and women, Arab and Jew, religious and secular, short people and tall people. All elect and are elected, to local, regional and Israel's legislative branches. All serve in all three branches of government: legislative, administrative and judiciary.
Indeed, one finds people from all segments of the population actively involved in government, education, medical, economic life, military, civil society.
It is, therefore, no wonder that when even non-Jews seek a place of refuge, Muslim black Africans, they come to Israel; and when Arabs are given the option of living in Israel or under an Arab regime, e.g. Palestinian Authority, their choice is Israel.
Furthermore, Israeli persecutes its non-Jewish citizens, openly referring to them as a fifth column, and calling on them to be ethnically-cleansed form Israel.
Is Israel "the city upon a hill"? Far from it!
"It is the only liberal democracy that practices Apartheid..." -- Israel is a liberal democratic country, and those Arabs who reside under the authority of the Palestinian Authority in both Gaza and most in Samaria and Judea enjoy, by choice, the legal system practiced by the Palestinian Authority.
"...Israeli persecutes its non-Jewish citizens..." -- The state of Israel persecutes only at the court of law, and all who come before the Israeli justice system stand equally before the law: black and white, men and women, Arab and Jew, religious and secular.
"...(Israel) openly referring to them (Arabs) as a fifth column, and calling on them to be ethnically-cleansed form Israel". -- I'll be horrified to see an official Israeli attitude towards Arabs as "fifth column" and calling for the "cleansing" of the country of its Arab residents. Therefore, I must treat such an accusation, until I see evidence to the contrary, as an anti-Jewish libel.
Sorry but Israel is a democracy - imperfect (aren't they all) - but a democracy none the less.
To paraphrase WC Fields - all things considered (in the Middle East) - I rather live in Israel!
"All the claims of rights that will be given to citizens in return for duties will be refuted when we examine what has happened to the Druze citizens. Because the injustice that is being done to the Druze is an in-built Zionist matter."
Salman Masalha in Haraatz 07/18/12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm62txl7ysA
Don't believe me? Look it up.
"IshmaelKhaldi.com
www.ishmaelkhaldi.com/
This site may be compromised.
One man's story of Israel's culture, society and politics from the perspective of a Bedouin minority in a Jewish state"
So, before I opened it I looked up:-
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Do you have any other bright ideas?
He served his MASTER and therefore he was protected, just like the hired killers in the mafia.....
Why don't you tell us how the Bedouin feels about his people being repeatedly pushed off their ancestrial lands (one village has been destroyed by Israel 37 times!)? Ask the Arab Christian about the recent statements by her community leaders about oppression against them by Israel.
Your claim about the Bedouins is false to the core; they are Nomads roaming the Negev and Jordan Valley and that land was never theirs to begin with, they just build their structure without building permits or even attempts to get a permit…. So, similar to all civilized countries squatters cannot just grab a vacant land and build on it… The same treatment many Jewish residents that build without permit, their structures got demolish….. I wonder if you would tolerate squatters grabbing your backyard (assuming you have one…) and building a shack to live on…..
Reagrding the Arab Christians' leaders, these are the leaders of the Arabs in Hebron and Jerusalem who are under the influence of the PA and do not recognize Israel.... on the other hand go and ask those Arabs and Druzes who living within Israel.
I don't see puff pieces about the B@hr@ini ambassador to the U$ being Jewish anywhere.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houda_Nonoo
Why such hatred, evsw? What has that People done that has injured you so, that you work so hard to see them disappear?
Second, there is no hatred. I am just calling Hasbara when I see it.
If the state is racially biased in spending on education, housing and health (and by their own admission and figures the Israeli State is) then it's a racist organization.
"There are no government funded universities for Arab Students". -- Indeed, there aren't, just as there aren't any universities - government or non-government funded - universities for Jews or for any other ethnic group. All students in Israel study together in the eight universities of the country and the many colleges of Israel.
"... and extreme segregation standards for Arab and Jew". -- Perhaps the poster could share with us a single case of "segregation between Arabs and Jews? And, if the poster can't, why make such an accusation that, as the poster knows, is baseless?
Clearly, the poster in engaged in weaving a "narrative", i.e. fictional short story designed for political expediency, rather than relying in her/his discourse on factually based rational analysis.
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/may/28/world/la-fg-israel-med-students-20120528
2) Admission to all medical schools are based on criteria that are applied to all who wish to study there.
3) Many Jewish students end up not being accepted, or at times not even apply, and end up studying medicine in Romania, Italy, Hungary, etc.
This anecdotal case is very touching, but it has nothing to do with the fact that the applicant is an Arab and has everything do so with not meeting criteria applicable to all.