News
MK Zahalka: Racist laws target Arab sector
Roni Sofer
Published: 22.03.11, 20:10
Comment Comment
Print comment Print comment
Back to article
36 Talkbacks for this article
1. Go to Syria
Rachel ,   US   (03.22.11)
And see how your human rights are respected.
2. arabs have it better in israel than anywhere else in M.E.
mike ,   israel (formerly usa   (03.22.11)
in fact, as a minority in israel, arabs have it better in israel than any arabs who are even in the majority. those ignorant MK's can embarrass themselves with their silly rants because they have nothing else to freely say that has anything to do with facts and the real world. please, continue embarrassing yourselves. you only prove netanyahu right.
3. Arab lawmakers
Jorge ,   Israel/USA/Argentina   (03.22.11)
Please help me with this. I lived in Argentina, I cannot burn an Argentina flag either I cannot tell that the Spanish are occupier. 9 of July I cannot say that this day is a catasthrpic day. I live in USA, I cannot burn an USA flag either I cannot tell that the English are occupier. 4 of July I cannot say that this day is a catasthrpic day. Why in Israel I have to burn an Israeli flag, tell them that Jewish ar eoccupiers and call 15 of May Nabka otherwise I will call for international protection? Any body can make sense?
4. I like Netanyahu's sense of humor:-)
EST ,   Miami USA   (03.22.11)
Tibi et al. go quack somewhere else!!! Go ask for international protection of your co-religionaries in Muslim countries....they freedom they have in Israel is unmatched! Treasure what is freely given to you in Israel...spit one too many times and it might come to haunt you. Him and his supporters should be thrown out of Israel. If they cannot respect the nature and symbols of the Jewish state...get rid of him!!! I think those three bills should have been approved a looooong time ago!!!!
5. What country funds events mourning it's independence?
Michael ,   Toronto   (03.22.11)
Nakba events should have the freedom to take place, but should not be funded by the government.
6. It all boils down to one simple question..
Chaim ,   Israel   (03.22.11)
We have two peoples with completely different and hostile narratives thrown together in our tiny Homeland. We could charge members of Arab Parties with treason due to some of their actions. It would be justified. But it's not the real problem. Their hostility to Israel reflects that of most Israeli Arabs. Coexistence within the "green line" isn't working. Truthfully, it never did. It all boils down to one simple question: Whose land is this?
7. Demolition bill aimed at settlers too
Eric ,   Tel Aviv & NY   (03.22.11)
Demolition bill is aimed at settlers, East Jerusalem Arabs, Bedouins, etc. It is not against any ethnic or religious group just those that break the law. This way each time the IDF or other government agencies needs to tear down an illegal structure the owner will have to pay for it, this should reduce the number of times the same structure needs to be pulled down.
8. racism
avi ,   nyc   (03.22.11)
how about racism against settlers?
9. #3 You misunderstood the law
John ,   Belgium   (03.22.11)
The law doesn't forbid any exhibition of disloyalty to the country. You can still speak against Israel and burn the Israeli flag. The laws, However, will stop the country from financing in the future such events. At the current state of affairs at least 80% of the tax payers (Jews) are financing activities that perpetuate the a state of conflict and spread the seeds of hatred against Jews.
10. What should have been done
Jewish Warrior   (03.22.11)
Simply ignore them. Tell them that they are representatives of terrorist organizations in the Government of Israel, ignore everything they say, and don't count their votes.
11. so it is
paolo ,   Israel   (03.22.11)
arab MKs are spitting on the same dish where they're eating, as usual... crazy dogs
12. The law prevents the racism of arabs
Monique ,   NC USA   (03.22.11)
The law prevents the racism of arabs, the opposite of what he is saying. The law stops the hatred of the arabs in ISRAEL from burning the flag of ISRAEL in ISRAEL. if they dont like it they can leave because the state of palestine has never existed before.
13. These Arabs in the Knessett - No Loyalty - Get Rid of Them!!
Andrew ,   Miami,FL   (03.22.11)
14. Tibi is in the Knesset.
noa ,   tibi   (03.22.11)
He is not a regular citizen. If he feels loyalty to Gaza, he should go live there. They are our enemies at present, and until they are part of a legitimate state called Palestine with laws and peace contracts, they will remain our enemies. No one asked them to send rockets. What did they expect? What exactly was their intention?
15. tell social workers arabs should have state funding for nakb
zionist forever   (03.22.11)
The idea that taxpayers should fund nakba events is downright hilarious and should never have been allowed. We have the social workers going on strike, teachers are underpaid but its not fair we are not giving taxpayer money for nakba events. I can't think of any country that would have allowed it ever. Israel has been politically correct and terrified of upsetting the arabs for to long now and we need bills like this. Limiting the size of small communities it is contreversial but small communities would no longer be small communities if they just let anybody move in and change the makeup of the area. Making the owners of illegal structures pay for their demolition seems reasonable to me. If they don't want to pay for pulling a building down that they built without permits then why shouldn't we make them pay for the law to be enforced? Hopefully it will make people think twice before building illegally. It might also stop the bedouin from rebuilding their illegal villages after they have been cited for demolition. I believe they already have laws like this in many western countries which are even stricter than in Israel. I would love to know exactly what he expects the international community to do because Israel is refusing to use taxpayer money to be used to fund anti Israel events or enforcing planning laws? Maybe he thinks that Obama is going to enforce a no fly zone and shoot anybody who supports these laws. lf the arabs don't like Israel then I hear that in Libya right now Gaddafi and the opposition are looking for more supporters. He might find Hamastan his thing where they condemn the UN for teaching the Holocaust, and they build water parks and malls and complain they don't have any money to build homes.
16. Knesset
Michaelpielet ,   boca, usa   (03.22.11)
All arabs to repatriated to country of origin.
17. Treason should also be illegal in ISRAEL
Rediculous ,   Israei   (03.22.11)
and punishable by jail or deportation. No other country allows traitors to do these things.
18. The Arabs Mock Israel
Mark from Georgia ,   USA   (03.22.11)
What if town in the USA decided to burn the American flag and call for our destruction on July 4th every year? That the Mayor and city council came out and all gave speeches against the USA, and supported its violent destruction? What would be the reaction Here in the USA? That is the right the Arabs want and expect the Israeli government to fund. It's nuts!!
19. Pass a law to throw out all those that
jason white ,   afula, israel   (03.22.11)
never served in the I.D.F. for any reason! Do not let them vote or work in government. Throw them out of institutes of higher learning. No child allowances and no driver's licenses. Make all those that never served in the I.D.F. pay a defense tax for every member of their families. This is for Jews and non Jews!
20. No, the law targets seditionists and revisionists
William ,   Israel   (03.22.11)
Is it our fault that most Israeli Arabs fall into the category? Me thinks its time for a little introspection by the Arab community, especially Arab MKs who seem to have stopped working for the benefit of their constituents only to work for a political career based on bashing Israel.
21. I believe Jews should join the "Nakba" events
William ,   Israel   (03.22.11)
and help point out that the real "Nakba" came at the hands of the Arab leaders, including the Arab League, which chose genocidal war over coexistence. Today, these same Israeli Arabs who lost the war are upset but don't pay attention that because they lost the war they have 1000% more freedom, human rights, education, healthcare, and opportunities than their Arab counterparts next door. Their actions are like a patient who's life was saved by an anti-biotic suing the physician because of the pain of the needle. However, the nakba that is really "celebrated" here is not the one the "Palestinians" focus on (the false claim of ethnic cleansing, etc.) but that Israel managed to survive and gave a black eye to the Arab collective in 1948.
22. Tibi didn't hear Netanyahu apologize for Gazan deaths?
William ,   Israel   (03.22.11)
First, the deaths in Gaza are based on "Palestinian" accounts and there is a precedent set by them of skewing those numbers. Hamas admitted in December to what Israel already knew - in Cast Lead, over 1000 killed were terrorists, not civilians. So, no need to apologize until we actually get the facts. Second, Netanyahu DID apologize and he did it in the language of the nation - Hebrew. Abbas apologized for the Itamar massacre...in ENGLISH but refused to do it in Arabic. Then he swore not "Palestinian" could do such an atrocity so it must be foreign workers. Not really an apology, nor even empathy. Finally, there is no doubt that the motive of the Pally terrorists was to kill an unarmed civilian family in their sleep. That was their target from the start. However in Gaza, civilians are not targeted and most operations called off if the chance of killing them is high. Such in the case in urban warfare against Arab terrorists who use human shields. Gaddafi is now committing the same atrocities against civilians. I guess that's why Israeli Arab MKs felt the urge to visit him and expound him with blessings and flattery.
23. #18 - Doesn't the US already have that?
William ,   Israel   (03.22.11)
In a more disorganized form, doesn't the US already have those who burn the US flag, mock US soldiers (Westboro church), claim the US is illegitimate and run by rich white Jews to oppress everyone (Rev. Wright, Louis Farrakhan, Michael Moore)? The US has their crazies too although very small in number, but they do have support from groups with the White House's ear - MoveOn.org, etc.
24. Israel needs treason & sedition laws
BH ,   Iowa   (03.22.11)
They must be strong and they must be inforced. No other country allows enemy agents in their legislatures.
25. Tibi is the one who must apologize for Gaza terror
Frank ,   Canada   (03.22.11)
Tibi is an Arab who supports Arab terror. He must apologize. He also must apologize for cynically equating an infamous bloodshed with collateral damages caused by Arab terror.
26. Ahh, that 'racism' wildcard again...
Tahl   (03.23.11)
'Racism', according to Merriam Webster, is "the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race". Would Mr. Zahalka be kind enough to explain to me, how he extrapolated this definition on the laws passed by the Knesset? How on earth, does withholding funds from a town which supports terrorism (or "armed struggle") against the state, relates to the belief that a certain race is biologically superior to another?... And are Jews and Arabs different races? Heck, Jews of Sephardic descent look much more similar to Palestinians than to Ashkenazi Jews... Clearly, the term 'racism' is constantly being thrown around and overused by Arab demagogues who have no clue as to what it really means.
27. All in Israel are equal before the law, Arab and Jew alike!
Jehudah Ben-Israel ,   Qatzrin, Israel   (03.23.11)
28. Ahmad Tibi
Michael ,   Denmark   (03.23.11)
So this is the guy who thinks it's a despicable act to sell a house to a Jew... And I wonder why he would call precisely the Lamed He for terrorists. Because they dared to fight in a regular war or because they dared to fight for the re-establishment of the Jewish state? I think I know why. Ahmad Tibi. I can see right through you.
29. Why should Israel finance anti-Jewish racism? And why should
JBI   (03.23.11)
it finance calls by Jew or Arab alike for its elimination? In fact, in which of the states in our region would the Arabs in the Knesset be in a position of being so critical of their state, and openly calling for its demise?
30. MK Zahalka was born here
Rani ,   Israel   (03.23.11)
MK Zahalka was born here so his father and Grand fatherss. Where Benjamin Netanyahu was born? or where his father came from????????
Next talkbacks
Back to article