When your people stop treating Arabs (who're Israeli citizens) like second hand citizens, then they'll wholeheartedly believe in Israel. Take a strol in any Arab town and you'll see the difference.

Protecting yourself and your children is not racism. Having pride is also not racism. Just how many Jews will be allowed to exist in the creations of the so called "Palestinian State?" And one more thing "Peace Now" are idiotic, it basically describes the state of Israeli democrazy.

IN SIMPLE TERMS, YOU ARE 100% SPEAKING THE TRUTH.

If the arabs living in Israel will go on with their opposition to the Jewish State, they, and they alone, will be the ones to be blamed if a Israeli government in the future will consider them as a fifth column and treat them as one. If they accept Israel as their home, compared to all the other Arab countries, Israel will continue to be a blessing to them

arabs, who are family and friends of the people you want to be so loyal, to flee their homes and be made refugees in the 4 corners of the globe. Recognize that, then maybe i'll hold up an israeli flag.

we are a hard working nation , and we work to feed our children , and you are not giving us money for free second , give us our freedom and we will not nor never need you or the work or anything else we take from you .

I think what Mr Sharon really means is that many Israeli Jews choose to pretend the Arabs are loyal, make-believe & wishful thinking being so much more agreable than facing unpleasant reality. Now obviously, I cannot know the inner feelings of all the Israeli Arabs. But, based on experience elsewhere, on media reports, on the behavior of the Arab MK's, on what their religious leaders say, on what their various political organizations propose, on various opinion polls - I am left with an obvious conclusion. And, this conclusion is confirmed even more because I see NO contrary information. Where are Israeli Arab leaders who speak up FOR the State? They are notably absent. This is not the case for the Druzim, for example, nor for Bedouin. In any case, Mr Sharon makes a good point & ignoring the problem will not make it go away.

I'm not so naive as to think Mr Sharon has only the good of the country at heart. He is jumping on an issue to exploit for his own political advancement. That the idea may have merit would certainly not lead me to trust any Israeli politician.

Don't give me this guff...throughout. American history Blacks were treated as second class citizens, yet they fought in every war from the revolution to today. Now we have an African American running for president. The Israeli Arabs have a choice to make and their status as citizens is theirs to make.

So, basically, the catastrophic Nakba is that Jews who rightfully immigrated to the British territory formerly known as Palestine, which the British received after defeating the Ottomon Empire (imagine that, a non-Western people with an Empire and colonialist visions ... I thought all non-Westerners were victims of Westerners) in World War I, and who were terrorized in riots by the Arabs in Palestine got the ability to rule over themselves? It is such a Nakba for Jews to rule over themselves, for the "United Nations [to recognize] the fact that the Jews deserve a state". Imagine that, Jews not fearing for their lives, not having a government that is at worst hateful against them and at best reluctantly tolerant or apathetic towards them as second-class dhimmi citizens. Imagine that, Jews being a majority in a piece of land that many many years ago was originally theirs (for which there is archaeological proof) and being able to rule over themselves. This thing called democracy, and the idea of protecting all citizens, what hogwash!

Stop pretending like your the victim! Everybody knows we bought the land fair and square.We wanted the land and you offered us your daughters .Thanks but no thanks. You sold so much land we declared ourselves a state.You got all your little dictator friends that wanted their own greedy countries .We won. Than you call it nakhba . We are a peacefull people. We will defend our country of israel. All these arab melo dramatics can end and please end them soon they solve nothing only your sore. I will not say loss because it was a transaction you got your pay.Stop asking for more .Be responsible humans and recognize the truth! CHAI ISRAEL

Arab States told Arabs to leave because they were going to crush the new State. Arabs ran away and they were not forced out. On the contrary 50,000 Jews were 'forced' to leave Arab countries. Arabs only wondered who they were after Jordan lost the West Bank. Before that they never thought of themselves as Palestinians. You know this stuff and are simply seeking to perpetuate a myth. Mike

There is no state of mind, let alone a political/geographical entity, that is big enough to include both Jews and Palestinians. A constructive divorce would be in everyone's best interests.

this traitorous criminal insane gangster government of ehud olmert is a bigger threat to israel,than all the arabs and terorist organizations combined

and for that he was thrown out of the knesset,but of course all the arab traitorous swines sitting in the knesset and plotting day and night the destruction of israel,are all welcome and treated with a velvet glove

The founding years of Israel have been grossly distorted for partisian reasons by both Arab and Israeli propogandists, and while actual history has a voice, it's a small one. Arabs left Ottoman/British Palestine for a number of reasons - some sold the land, some fled temporarily because surrounding newborn nations pledged to make it Muslim-run again, and some were fearful of Israelis performing ethnic cleansing (some of which did happen). Of course they did not identify as Palestinians then - they were former citizens of the Ottoman Empire, which was only partly affected by the tendency towards nationalism that had been more established in other countries. It is also true that after Israel was founded, many Jews were forced from their homes in Arab nations, partly as retribution for the crimes of young Israel, partly because it was a politically convenient distraction from other local politics, partly because they did not feel they could trust the loyalties of native Jews given the reasonable (but not complete) success of local branches of the Zionist movement, and partly because their wealth could be confiscated. Both of these are shameful. We don't need to respond to them by suggesting ethnic cleansing (in either direction), but we can regret more examples of the cruelties people do to each other, try to minimise their impact, and prevent them from happening again.

This is the JEWISH state. ONLY Jews are Israelis.

Perhaps even more than would admit it. The problem is the brainwashing in Arab media and the lack of guts by the Israeli government to address these openly. The fact that they are openly stating that the Protocols of Zion exist, should be condemned by Israel and other nations. Nothing of the like is done really and of course this feeds the Arab mind with Jew hatred. These statements in Arab media should be highly criticized with words and proof that these are blatant lies. Arabs should not be fed lies, but truth. Then only they will understand that Israel is not the demon they should fear, but a cousin they should embrace.

Most of what you said is accurate. Though you're missing pieces and only focusing on a snap shot of history (that could be misleading). The nationalism you're talking about in other countries makes sense as they all at one point or another in history existed as separate distinct entities. Egypt was an empire. Babylon (Iraq) was an empire. Lebanon was Phoenicia. Syria was related to the Assyrians. While I'm not implying the people inhabiting these places today are the descendants of those people, I am saying that those lands were sovereign at some point in history. The land known as "Palestine" by Romans, Israel today, was also sovereign at some point in history and that was under Jewish rule (King David/King Solomon/Hasmonean rule/ Even that pest Herod was Jewish, in name at least). Any other time there were other peoples in Israel they were from other conquering nations (Rome, Greece, Persia, Arabia, etc...). So nationalism pertaining to the Palestinians is an oxymoron since they're not historically indigenous to the land. They were migrating peoples coming from Arabian conquerors. Now the second fallacy you present is the "crimes" of young Israel. I bet you're referring to Begin and Irgun. What you're not mentioning is the history leading up to the acts of retribution. You did not make mention of the Arab mobs often attacking and murdering Jews. While I don't say that Irgun did not hit up villages, this was clearly not unprovoked. To claim Israel was committing crimes without citing Arab crimes leaves the reader with an impression that this was a one sided issue. Misleading wouldn't you agree?

When will you admit you stolen another people's land? When you will admit that your nation is a brutal occupier who restricts the freedom of another people? When will you be honest with yourself and admit you are breaking hundreds of international laws? When will you be honest and admit you are carrying out war crimes in Gaza (collective punishment is a war crime under international law)? When will you be honest and admit the Israel state discriminates against its Arab citizens (at least 22 discriminatory laws are in place in Israel) When you realise that until you stop being an oppressor and an occupier Palestinians will continue to struggle for freedom both in Israel and in the OPT.

to mark the date of this imaginary "nakba" Just another example of Pallywood and Arab lies and propaganda. We have tried co-existence, it has failed, just as Jews have been expelled from the vast lands occupied by the Arabs, so the Arabs must leave tiny Israel where the Jews are now cornered. There is no other choice.

that Ynet would have the nerve to print such an honest appraisal of the situation here. Must have been an oversight by one of their editors, who is sure to be fired for such negligence

If it wasn't for your 'brothers' in egypt, jordan, lebanon, syria, and other islamofascist states ordering you to leave so they can 'decimate' the infidels, the alleged refugees would have stayed. Your supposed 'naqba' was of your own making. But as usual, it's easier to heap blame on the Jews then to accept responsibility for your own hatreds and stupidity

They call themselves "Israeli" when they need medical help, welfare assistance, job training, and free education at universities rated amongst the best in the world. After draining what the State has to offer, they quickly become "palestinians." We should give them what they want and transfer populations and territories. The arab triangle should be moved to a pali state in exchange for the settlement areas in any final deal. Now watch the arabs scream 'racist' for my stating here what they demand openly.

that it's fine for arabs to protest against discrimination and it's healthy for everyone for them to bring this to the government's attention. what's not proper is to hold a palestinian flag up, which symbolizes that they don't want israel to be a country and instead they want the entire country to be a palestinian state. if this is the case, they should voluntary want to move to the west bank or gaza. there is no need for them to be in a country they hate. if they want to bring abotu reforms, then that's good. if they want to bring in a new country, they should not be citizens. citizens are a class of people who believe in the country of which tehy are citizens. they cannot live in israel and be citizens while hating israel and wanting it to be palestinian. if they want this, then the general rule in democracies, and in the US in particular, is that the government can suppress this type of speech when it is likely to cause violence or when it displays a danger of overthroowing the current government. if you live ini srael you don't have to love it but you have to believe in the country and to bring about reforms. if you hate it no matter what, and what a different country there, then please leave now and enjoy life somewhere else.

Mr. Sharon, like his father, wants to give precious Jewish land to our enemies in order to placate evil doers in Washington; evil doers like George W. Bush. Sharon has learned nothing from the disaster his father wrought on the Jewish people and Israel. The land of Israel belongs to each and every Jew. It does not belong to the Sharon family. Our God given land is not for Gilad Sharon and his father to give to our enemies. Shame on the Sharon family. The Sharon's have turned on the Jews and have joined with Israel's enemies.

Maybe we Americans should start doing the same thing to the American Dual loyalists Jews here, who don't seem to have any qualms making it known they're Israeli's first...and run to Israel to join the IDF while our real Americans are in Iraq fighting for Israel and oil...Talk about biting the hand that feeds them?I Very good..very good.... Lets see if this is printed..I don't think so.....

#13...You seem to believe everything your fed...Why not look at the logic of what you say....how the Zionists made it almost impossible for Jewish Arabs to remain in their counties..because, even then Zionists needed warm bodies to justify the 'Grand Theft'...