Though Israeli Arabs have taken serious umbrage at the push by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to “trade” a number of their towns to Palestine, along with their citizenship, the problem may be less the idea than the rhetoric behind it.
“Who is he to decide for us?” was a common quote among Israeli Arabs about the Lieberman plan, saying its something for them to decide and not the bellicose FM, who has made it clear his goal is just to get rid of the Arabs.
Lieberman’s push may be a non-starter, but a new Haaretz/Dialog poll shows the idea at its core isn’t so farfetched, with 42 percent of Israeli Arabs open to territory swaps and 31 percent hoping their own towns would be “transferred” to an independent Palestine.
That’s up quite a bit from 2005’s poll, when only 21 percent were open to the idea, and with the younger age brackets more supportive of becoming part of Palestine some day, the momentum within the Arab community may be for eventually separating from Israel.
It’s a difficult decision for many, since a newly created Palestine would be a much poorer nation with a lot of problems to deal with. At the same time, staying in Israel means remaining second-class citizens ruled by the likes of Lieberman, hardly an ideal situation either.
I suspect the Palestinian idea of transfer relates to the establishment of a full Palestinian state, whilst the Israeli idea relates to the establishment of minimal size isolated bantustans where the Palestinians can be herded out of sight and out of mind.
Exactly. Promises will be made. The Zionists will sell it as a fair swap, with the Arabs getting their own state: an independent Palestine. But it will, predictably end up being little more than a Zionist Theresienstadt.
Exactly. Promises will be made. The Zionists will sell it as a fair swap, with the Arabs getting their own state: an independent Palestine. But it will, predictably, end up being little more than a Zionist Theresienstadt.
I hope that the Palestinians weren't hoping for any financial support from Israel to make any transfer. The Israelis WILL charge them for all costs and their new home will be in Jordan or Egypt.
This is like those (like Texas) who want to secede from the US. They're all gungho until they start to add up the costs…like all those retirees who would, as non-US citizens would lose their Social Security and Medicare. Kind of puts a damper on the fever pitch ranting to secede.
Once the Israeli Arabs realize that once "transferred" Israel will consider them part of Palestine and treat them the same as they treat the Palestinians now…just insects to crush. They are still part of the plan to remove ALL of the Arabs from land Israel feels God has given to them.
What is this new? Israeli propaganda?