Israel Our Home to open Arab office?

Minister Lieberman visits Christian village of Mailia in Galilee, says State has failed to do enough to bring loyal non-Jewish citizens closer. His hosts suggest party opens office in village
Ahiya Raved

"Every citizen loyal to his state should feel that the State of Israel is his home and that he is an integral part of society," Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Thursday evening during a visit to the Arab Christian village of Mailia in the Western Galilee.

Lieberman's hosts, the Tanus family members, explained that the real reason they invited him, in spite of his radical views on Arabs, was in order to promote the issues of tourism and infrastructure in the village.

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"The minister is known as a man who works. He is a bulldozer, and this has been proven in the past. We hope it will be proven in the future as well. I would like this visit to serve the Christian sector, which I am part of," said Assad Tanus, a local restaurant owner.

Lieberman arrived in the village with tourism minister-designate, Knesset Member Yitzhak Aharonovitch, and senior party members. Fathi Assaf, head of the local council, took part in the event.

Lieberman meets Mailia residents (Photo: Vadim Daniel)

The minister said that he did not distinguish between religions and people. "As far as I am concerned, there is no difference between Rabbi Hirsch of Neturei Karta and Sheik Ra'ed Salah. They are both Israel haters and their fate is equal."

Lieberman added that Israel made a mistake by not brining closer its loyal non-Jewish residents.

"We did not know how to bring them closer and translate our respect for these people to deeds. We should have done much more in order to bring them closer and make them feel that they have someone to trust. We are paying today for our past sins," he said.

Asked if there was room for an Israel Our Home office in the Arab Christian sector, Lieberman said that a direct connection and visits like the one he held Thursday were much more important than officially opening an office. The minister noted that his party got quite a few votes in the Christian sector.

When he was told that a decisive majority of Mailia residents voted for the National Democratic Assembly or Hadash, he replies that "the National Democratic Assembly can represent the interest of the Syrian or Palestinian citizen. I don’t remember when the National Democratic Assembly ever represented an Israeli citizen's interest."

National Democratic Assembly officials said in response, "Lieberman came from Russia a few years ago and already wants to divide the country's native residents to ethnic groups and people and does not care for Israel's Arab citizens, but is the source of their concerns.

"We are fighting for our rights as citizens and Arabs and are not asking for bread crumbs from racists. We believe he should have been driven out shamefully."