The co-existence of Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel has long been a model
for the potential for democratic pluralism to take root in the Mideast. But rather than
publicize this encouraging fact, the major media
outlets have repeatedly
distorted the status of Israel's Arab community.
When Arab players on Israel's national soccer team scored key goals in recent
international matches,
AFP turned a positive news story on its head with this
highly editorialized line:
Israeli by nationality, Palestinians at heart, Israel's 1.2 million Arabs,
descendants of those who remained on their land after the Jewish state was
created in 1948, are treated as second class citizens.
And here's the latest: An op-ed column denouncing Israeli policy toward its Arab minority
was published in the Los Angeles Times (May
11) and The Christian Science Monitor (May
17). The author, Aaron David Miller, laments 'the predicament of Israel's
own Arab citizens', claiming:
The status of Israeli Arabs, without access to military or national service,
and constantly under suspicion as a potential fifth column, is indeed
nation-dividing. Israel risks becoming a preferential or ethnic democracy
much as the US was in the 1950s and before, when millions of
African-Americans suffered from discrimination. (emphasis added)
Let's address Miller's two claims separately:
1) ARABS IN THE IDF
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Soldiers from an IDF
Arab Bedouin unit |
Miller's first claim ― that Israeli Arabs lack 'access to military or national
service' ― is patently false. While Arab Israelis are not generally required to serve in the IDF, many (especially from the Druze and Bedouin communities) proudly volunteer
to do so, and have served with great distinction.
In fact, both the LA Times and Christian Science Monitor have recognized Arab
service in the IDF on their own pages. As noted by
Snapshots, the LA Times published a
correction of a similar error in Feb. 2004, stating that 'In fact, although they cannot be
drafted and most choose not to serve, Israeli Palestinians can enlist in the
service'. And the CSM published an
in-depth article
on Arab Israelis in 2002 that noted:
As Arab citizens of Israel, the villagers aren't required to
serve in the army. They go by choice... almost every family in the village has a
member in the local military cemetery.
Indeed, a
recent study indicated that the number of Arab volunteers to the IDF ―
including Muslim Arabs ― is growing.
Given both media outlets' prior recognition of this fact, the error can only be
ascribed to sloppy editorial review, which should be acknowledged and
corrected.
[ UPDATE 5/22:
Both papers have issued corrections: LA Times correction , CSM correction]
Comments to LA Times: letters@latimes.com
Comments to Christian Science Monitor:
click here
(Hat tip:
Mediacrity)
2) STATUS OF ARAB ISRAELIS
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Durham, NC bus station
1940 |
Miller's second maneuver likens the status of Arab Israelis to that of
African-Americans in the US before the civil rights movement. This, too, is an
irresponsible distortion.
Though the government of Israel has
officially recognized some policy shortcomings toward its Arab minority,
it's ludicrous to compare that to the discrimination suffered by
African-Americans during that period in American history. Consider:
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As opposed to the U.S., the foundational document of the State of Israel
upheld the principle of civil equality ― despite the fact it was drafted during a state of war with
surrounding Arabs:
[The State of Israel] will ensure complete
equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of
religion, race or sex...
We appeal, in the very midst of the onslaught launched against us now for months
- to the Arab inhabitants of the State of Israel to preserve peace and
participate in the building of the State on the basis of full and equal
citizenship and due representation in all its provisional and permanent
institutions. (Israeli
Declaration of Independence, 1948)
●
Eleven Israeli Arabs
currently serve in
Israel's Knesset, including two in the dominant Likud party.
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Israeli Supreme Court
Justice Salim Joubran |
● An Arab Justice, Salim Joubran, holds a seat on the Israeli
Supreme Court.
● The Israeli government is
currently implementing a 4-year, 4 billion shekel plan to
develop infrastructures in the Arab sector.
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Israeli Arabs attend and lecture in every Israeli
university. In fact, prominent Arab academics such as
Sari Nusseibeh were outspoken against the
recent boycott of Israeli universities by the UK's Association of
University Teachers.
[Correction: The original version of this article incorrectly stated that Nusseibeh has Israeli citizenship.]
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Even diplomatic positions are open to Israeli Arabs, who have held key posts in
Atlanta (Consul-General), South America, Finland (Ambassador) and elsewhere.
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Israeli Arabs consistently state that they'd prefer to remain in
Israel rather than join a future Palestinian state. A May 2001 survey found that
just 30 percent of Israel's Arab population would agree to
the Galilee Triangle being annexed to a future Palestinian state. By February 2004, according to the
Haifa-based Arab Center for Applied Social Research, that figure had reached
90 percent preferring to remain in Israel.
HonestReporting encourages subscribers to monitor the media for ongoing
distortions of the status of the Arab minority in democratic Israel.
Thank you for your ongoing involvement in the battle against media bias.
HonestReporting
