The Fall of Azmi Bashara: a Personal Victory; National Tragedy

I can't say I was surprised to learn that Israeli Arab MK (Member of Parliament) Azmi Bashara is being investigated for providing Israel's enemies with sensitive information at a time of war. I have for a long time felt that Mr Bashara's behavior was treasonous (if not in a legal sense then certainly in a colloquial one).

I 'met' Azmi Bashara almost 6 year ago at the United Nations World Conference Against Racism in Durban. He, together with 3 'rabbis' from Neturei Karta, were the stars of this anti-Jewish hate fest. At one point in the conference I took the opportunity to publicly challenge him. It is the proudest moment of my Israel advocacy career. As I approached the podium, the audience (including South African cabinet Ministers) of about 200, mainly clad in the symbolic black and white Keffiyeh, refused to let me speak. They began chanting 'No racists, no Zionists allowed'. Over the noise, I screamed into the microphone 'Mr Bashara after all your time as a member of the Israeli parliament, I would have thought you would have understood the value of free speech. South Africa like Israel is a democracy and like you I also have the right to be heard.'

Since then I have followed Azmi Bashara's political career with personal interest. I listened as he continued to publicly vilify the Jewish state and watched as he met on numerous occasions with Israel's sworn enemies, all under the protection of his diplomatic immunity. There is something extremely perverse about using the freedoms, or worse privileges, that a country affords as tools to affect its destruction. I always thought it was even more repugnant in Bashara's case given his selective application of those same rights. And so the criminal investigation into Bashara's subversive behavior and his subsequent flight from justice is somewhat of a personal victory. Now everyone suspects what I have believed for a long time.

Nevertheless the fall of Azmi Bashara is far more significant than providing me with an opportunity to gloat. It is a national tragedy for all Israelis. It has set back Jewish-Arab co-existence in Israel by years. It has provided extremists like Avigdor Lieberman with evidence to justify their anti-Arab suspicions. Which Jewish politician would dare today challenge the idea that Israeli-Arabs are a potential 5^th column? After all, the leader of one of their most powerful parties in the Knesset behaved as such. These anti-Arab sentiments will only serve to marginalize them further and in turn make them more resentful of the state.

This deadly spiral of mutual antagonism among Israeli Jews and Arabs must be stopped at all costs. I think it is time for Israel to offer its Arab citizen a new social contract. Arab Israelis need to feel that they have an equitable stake in Israel's future. And Israeli Jews need to feel that their fellow Arab citizens are prepared to contribute equitably to making that future happen.

Comments

[Joel Pollak]

This is a really great comment and it would be nice to see it published in the print media as well.

[mike]

thanks Joel

[Gary]

Is Avigdor Lieberman an extremist?
A leader who is prepared to give up large parts of Judea and Samaria to a Palestinian State, and even parts of pre-1967 Israel as long as a fair settlement is reached.
I thinkhis plan to retain large Israeli settlement blocks for large Arab-populated areas is a fair one, meaning less Jews will have to be expelled from their homes, and less Arabs will have to live in the hated 'Zionist racist entity'.

[Alex]

Hi

Please consider writing news pieces or an op-ed for Jewrusalem: Israeli Uncensored News. We strive to present different views and opinions while rejecting political correctness. Ideally, we try to make the news "smart and funny." Thus, your input is very welcome.

Best,
Alex
www.jewrusalem.net/en

[Cynic]

"I think it is time for Israel to offer its Arab citizen a new social contract. Arab Israelis need to feel that they have an equitable stake in Israel's future."

That's where you are dreaming because in the Islamic mindset it is a zero sum game.

They are not interested in an equitable stake.
They want all as the demonstration in Nazareth in favour of Bashara demonstrated.
Maybe the minority Druse and in general the Bedouin accept to live as Israelis, but not the majority others who classify themselves as Palestinians living in Israel, just as Bashara has declared.
Then of course the Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council,
Sheik Ahmad Bahr who in a sermon in the Sudan called for the killing of all Israelis and Americans is only admitting what they all feel.
http://memritv.org/
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1178020746583

"Dozens of Celebrating Jews Threatened by Israeli Arab Mob"
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/122226

" The Pictures of How Israeli Arabs "Celebrate" Independence day "
http://myrightword.blogspot.com/2007/04/pictures-of-how-israeli-arabs-celebrate.html

[mike]

Cynic, I don’t doubt for a minute that many Israeli Arabs even the majority see themselves first as Palestinian Arabs and then as Israelis. And I can see why Jewish Israelis would feel threatened by this.

I agree that those who endorse a certain interpretation of Islam may not be able to compromise on any part of Israel being under Jewish sovereign. But there are also other Islamic interpretations that state clearly that the land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people. I don’t know if you have heard of Sheik Palatzi? He is the father of what has become known as Islamic Zionism. His teaching could be promoted among Israeli Arabs.

Arab Israelis also feel hard done by. They feel neglected by the state in all areas from health care to education to politics.

But both Israeli Arabs and the Jewish character of the state are not going to disappear. So we need to find a way for these 2 realities to co-exist. It is not going to be an easy task. But all I know is that the mutual-recriminations we currently see are not the answer. I think it will take bold leadership on both sides. Sadly I don’t think they exist today.

What else would you propose?

[Joel Pollak]

Wait a minute - the most recent statistics actually show that 75 percent of Arabs in Israel approve a constitution that retains Israel as a Jewish, democratic state as long as there are protections for minorities. Only 23 percent want a binational state on the Bishara model.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/853564.html

[Steve]

That poll brings some much needed good news...

[mike]

Thanks Joel. That’s comforting to know. But it must not be used as an excuse for complacency.

[Cynic]

Mike I know who Palatzi is and he is in Italy.
He is not in the region and his version goes against the teachings of the majority of Islamic Clerics and academics who dictate policy around the world.
Try the University in Cairo for Islamic teachings.

It is very nice to imagine your phrase "He is the father of what has become known as Islamic Zionism. His teaching could be promoted among Israeli Arabs." being implemented, but by who?
Those illusive moderate Muslims?
Certainly not by the clerics active in Israel, in Um al Fahum for example which including Baka al Garbia accounts for some 300000 Muslim Arabs.
As for polls presented by Haaretz I would not lend much credence, but had it come out in Arabic, even in Al Jazeera and translated by MEMRI it would give one food for thought. The operative word is taqiyya and the West having been bitten by the lies, especially of Arafat (remember just after he signed the Oslo Accord in Washington he made a trip to South Africa and spoke his mind in Arabic; but who paid attention?), should be twice shy when taqiyya is part of Koranic culture.

Pay more attention to the Israeli Arab behaviour than their words to the West, and that includes Israel.

They screamed against the State and not Hezbollah when Nazareth and other Arab towns were indiscriminately hit by rockets, which killed their kin, fired from Lebanon and they paraded in sympathy with Hezbollah.

If your media covered the latest Israeli Independence day celebrations then they should have mentioned that an Arab Cabinet Minister found himself at odds with Israel's anthem. And so on.

[Mike]

Cynic, I know all this. And it upsets me as much as it does you, I promise. I am not as niave as you think.

But the point remains what are the alternatives?

[David All]

Yes, cynic, what are the alternates?