MK Orli Levy: Ashkenazis rule, but nation wants Mizrahim

Member of Knesset Orli Levy (Yisrael Beiteinu), speaking in the Knesset plenum Tuesday, slammed "the discrimination of Mizrahi, Arab, and Ethiopian culture" by the Ashkenazi cultural elite.

Levy, whose father raised the discrimination flag many times during his time as foreign minister, spoke during the minute-long Knesset speeches. She addressed a recent report published on fair and equitable distribution of cultural resources that, according to her, "unequivocally proves that there is blatant and forbidden discrimination of Mizrahi, Arab, and Ethiopian culture in Israel as opposed to that of the Western Ashkenazi culture."

Levy said, "To all those who say we are whining – this time it is backed by facts, which indicate that Israeli society is still ruled by a rather small group of people who dictate the social agenda and try to educate the citizens according to their preferences and tastes.

"Let me remind you," continued the MK, "that just a week ago the nation chose Amir Benayoun and Idan Raichel as the country's leading musicians. We can only imagine what the results would have been if those who determine the distribution of resources were in charge of the (voting).

"It is only logical that the distribution of resources be placed in the hands of representatives of all sectors within Israeli society," she said.