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Elections belie Israel’s ‘apartheid’ state

Joint List Party candidates celebrate as the first results in the Israeli elections are announced, Sept. 17, 2019. (Basel Awidat/Flash90)

Anti-Israel — excuse me, pro-Palestinian — activists may find themselves in a bind following yesterday’s elections in Israel.

One of the anti-Israel movement’s “go-tos” is accusations of apartheid. They claim that Israel is an inherently racist state in which Arabs are a sub-class. An issue with this accusation is that it seems to make no distinction between Israeli Arab citizens and Palestinian residents of the occupied territories, all of whom have the legal right to vote in Palestinian Legislative elections. Palestinians in the West Bank are not Israeli citizens, therefore they don’t vote in Israeli elections.

An interesting case is Palestinians in eastern Jerusalem. Israel recognizes this area as part of Israel, so offers these Palestinians citizenship. While this offer is not typically accepted, these residents do have the legal right to vote in Jerusalem municipal elections.

With all this background out of the way, here’s the interesting development. One of the potential “kingmakers” that emerged in the Sept. 17 election was the Joint List Party, a coalition of parties representing Arab Israelis. While it remains unlikely that Arab parties will join a coalition party, it is nevertheless important to note that they have the potential to be an influencing voice. It is also irrefutable evidence that Arabs in Israel do have equal right of participation in the electoral process.

Where is the apartheid?

We await acknowledgement from the anti-Israel brigade, but we have a a feeling we’ll be waiting for a long time.

Another pickle. How many times have we heard anti-Israel activists, among them no less than a US Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, claim they are not anti-Israel they simply do not agree with Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies.

Well here’s a quandary Rep. Omar: While the situation in Israel remains uncertain, there is a very real possibility that Netanyahu will not be Israel’s next prime minister.

We can’t wait for all the anti-Bibi forces to warmly and openly embrace an Israel with a different PM.

So far, surprise, surprise: Radio silence.




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