Right-wingers who have been warning of the “enemy from within,” in their reference to the Israeli Arab population have come under a hail of criticism from the centrist and left-wing political streams. The right-wing has been labeled “extremist” on a good day, and “fascist” in some of the more colorful statements released by opponents, including the Israeli Arab MKs.
A Haifa University study however reveals some less than encouraging numbers regarding the loyalty among the Israeli Arab population to the Jewish state. Only 41% of the Israeli Arab community recognizes Israel’s right to exist as a democratic Jewish state. This is a sharp change from the 2003 study that showed the number to be 65.6%.
The data was released on Sunday, taken from the annual report prepared by Haifa U. professor, Sammy Smucha, who evaluates Jewish Arab relations.
In addition, 40.5% of the respondents, Israeli Arabs, feel the Holocaust never occurred – it is a myth, as compared to 28% in a 2006 study. The alarming results of the study will be a topic of discussion surrounding Jewish Arab relations, held at Haifa University on Monday.
The study includes 700 men and women, a cross section representative of the Israeli Arab population, including Bedouins and Druse. The professor explains the Holocaust denial crosses education and other parameters, reporting with about 37% of respondents have post high school education.
53.7% recognize Israel’s right to exist, as opposed to 81.l% in 2003. 56% side with the belief that returning ‘Palestinian refugees’ will be to PA (Palestinian Authority) autonomous areas only while 72.2% agreed with this in 2003.
Political activism seems to be on the rise. 41.4% stated they took part in a political protest in the past year as opposed to 28.7% in 2003. 12.6% support using any means including weapons towards improving their situation as compared to 5.4% in 2003.
53.8% agreed to learn in a Jewish school, a drop from 70.5% in 2003. 47.3% are opposed to having a Jewish neighbor as opposed to 27.2% in 2003.
“The increase in hostility is caused by a number of factors, including the Second Lebanon War, the standstill in progress in talks between Israel and the PA, lack of implementation of Ohr Commission recommendation pertaining to the Oct. 2000 riots, the closing of the criminal investigations against Israel Police members involved in the shooting deaths of the Oct. 2000 rioters, publication of the Arab vision to convert Israel into a two-state entity and other factors explains Prof. Smucha.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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3 Responses
So, bottom line is that the statistics PROVE that we “extremists/fascists” are 100% correct to consider the so-called “Israeli” arabs an “enemy within”!!! They basically are admitting it themselves!
What a shocker! Who would’ve thunk it??
Soo this show’s that roughly half of those Palestinians living in Israel prefer to be second class citizens of a Jewish state rather than be second class citizens of an Islamic state (not surprising). That’s a key demographic for Israel since the presence of a substantial Arab minority strengthens Israel in dealing with the rest of the world. It is also related to a growing trend in many Arab governments of preferring peace with Israel as an alternative to becoming dominated by the “fanatic” Muslims, something the Israeli government has tried to exploit.
Regarding non-Muslim or non-Arab Palestinians as intractable enemies is unwise, since it forces Israel into an “us against the world” situation which probably won’t go well for Israel in the long run.