So when in Israel they decided to rise over their institutionalised racism, they thought, 'let's have an Arab minister'. This is of course 60 years after the establishment of the state. MK Majadlah was appointed a minister without portfolio. Now they managed to find a portfolio for him: Science, Culture and Sports.
But it seems there are voices that want to empty that portfolio of its contents. MKs from the National Religious Party are suggesting that MK Majadallah should undergo a security clearance before he assumes post, a measure that his fellow Jewish cabinet ministers don't have to do. Others are suggesting to transfer the Israel Space Agency to the control of the PM office, because it is far too dangerous to keep it under the authority of a Muslim Arab.
They say it is not racist to do so. One talkback item on Haaretz goes like: "This says more of the loyalty of Arabs to Israel than it does Israel`s supposed "racism". Theres no racism here. As a citizen living here I dont want sensitive information going into the hands of an Arab. They cannot be trusted."
So Arabs, no matter how assimilated they were in Zionist Israel, are not capable of being loyal and cannot be trusted with sensitive state information.
I can only pose one question here: how can a state that does not trust 20% of its population be democratic?
1 comment:
To portray the Israeli government as a united power that speaks and acts with one mind is ridiculous. Israel is a democracy--filled with many competing and often opposing points of view.
Minster Majadlah's party, Labor-Meimad controls 19 seats in Knesset. The National Union-National Religious Party control only 9 seats. The entire Knesset has 120 seats.
By choosing to focus on the opinions of a radical fringe group, you ignore the fact that Majadlah's appointment is a major step forward for Israeli Arabs.
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