Tuesday
Apr072009
Knesset Member: Israel is racist
Tuesday, April 7, 2009 at 6:13PM
Random beatings of Palestinian-Israeli's not being investigated by police and recent mass lay-offs of train workers for employees who never served in the military, have resulted in a a Palestinian-Israeli member of Israel's parliament calling the country racist.
“Our main demand is equality, full equality in the framework of full citizenship of the Palestinian people,” said Jamal Zahalka, a member of the Israeli Knesset.
The Palestinian minority – 20 percent of Israel’s population – is often one that goes undocumented because the West is more concerned in the political outcome than the human cost, said Aida Touma-Sleiman, director of Women Against Violence, an organization that advocates Palestinian women’s rights.
“This kind of racism is slipping and going from the institutional level into the public level into the ordinary people,” said Touma-Sleiman, adding that the last 10 years have brought to power strong right-wing politicians in the government who have strong inclinations against unity between Palestinians and Israel.
“If Israel wants to establish a true democracy their is no way to escape the fact of dealing with the Palestinian minority within Israel,” said Touma-Sleiman.
“Our main demand is equality, full equality in the framework of full citizenship of the Palestinian people,” said Jamal Zahalka, a member of the Israeli Knesset.
The Palestinian minority – 20 percent of Israel’s population – is often one that goes undocumented because the West is more concerned in the political outcome than the human cost, said Aida Touma-Sleiman, director of Women Against Violence, an organization that advocates Palestinian women’s rights.
“This kind of racism is slipping and going from the institutional level into the public level into the ordinary people,” said Touma-Sleiman, adding that the last 10 years have brought to power strong right-wing politicians in the government who have strong inclinations against unity between Palestinians and Israel.
“If Israel wants to establish a true democracy their is no way to escape the fact of dealing with the Palestinian minority within Israel,” said Touma-Sleiman.
Former National Security Advisors Discuss Lack Of Progress In Middle East Peace Talks
By A.J. Swartwood
Former National Security Advisors James Jones and Stephen Hadley made it clear at a forum on Middle Eastern peace on Monday that the time for a permanent peace agreement is now.
General Jones, who served as President Barack Obama’s NSA until last month, noted the meshing of international forces that seem more inclined to act now than at any time in recent history.
“There’s a convergence of views between the Europeans, the Arab world, and the United States that this is a moment that has enormous potential,” Jones said. The General applauded the administration’s effort to spark dialogue between Israeli and Palestinian leaders, and urged continued pressure.
Both former security chiefs emphasized that the plan for a two-state solution is no secret. The hard part, said Hadley, who served under former President George W. Bush, is “how do you get there?”
Both agreed that the idea of Isrealis and Palestinians brokering a solution without America’s help is not plausible — “it’s just too hard,” said Hadley. Jones agreed, citing the unwillingness of either state to move past the issue of settlements in the negotiating arena.
Hadley called for a shift in focus from the more polemic issues to more common ground. “We have got to get the debate off the issue of settlements and construction freezes and onto the issue of the terms of peace.” He mentioned that while the issue of settlements remains divisive, the idea of a peace plan is supported by 60% of both Israelis and Palestinians.