Opinion
Racist land
Lucy Aharish
Published: 01.06.13, 10:21
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97 Talkbacks for this article
1. a racist land?
tiki ,   belgium   (06.01.13)
The writer should come to Europe to learn about racism (quietly but very present & persistent). Is everything perfect in Israel? Of course not, but one shouldn't exaggerate. Where there are people, racism occurs. It's not nice, but it's reality. By the way, Racism is not Apartheid! Racism is a state of mind, Apartheid is a system!
2. Why doesn't she escape
Raphael ,   Netanya   (06.01.13)
To the land of equal chances, the P.A., where of course no Jew is allowed to live? Where it is forbidden by death penalty to sell any piece of real estate to a Jew? Of course, this would strip her of the social benefits package that she enjoys within the racist state, and she would have scarce opportunities to write her discontent in the press.
3. This is not an article
Devorah   (06.01.13)
No. This is a "farticle." It is bloated with exaggeration and is written by a manipulating windbag who is probably a pen pal of Alice Walker.
4. Here's a suggestion!
Eli Bodie ,   USA   (06.01.13)
Tell your Arab brothers' and sisters' stop trying to kill Jews, and let them live in peace on the land God gave them. As far as education goes, how about the Arabs' clean-up the lies found in their school books. Lucy, take off your blinders and admit you're an anti-Semite--period! I'm sure you would be one of the first ones' dancing if Israel was suddenly destroyed. Trust me, Israel isn't going anywhere! It's the Muslims whose days' are numbered! God bless Israel!
5. Racism is disgusting. Like any other allergic reaction
Daniel   (06.01.13)
I mean we are just sons of apes and pigs, how can we possibly know better? Hint: distrust born of open disloyalty can easily be misinterpreted as racism.
6. Forgive me for being racist but>
HaifaGuy   (06.01.13)
>don't you think there is some ground for these bigoted opinions about you, Arabs? How about the Arabian Peninsula-size ground? Oh, and: "And don't think that we in the Arab sector are perfect. We're not, not at all. But that's a subject for a different column." No,we don't think you're perfect, haha:-) A good one, Lucy! I bet my 1yr old son will have joined and finished his IDF duty before we read anything remotely resembling self-criticism by you. I wouldn't hold my breath... 2043 - still waiting for that column)
7. I don't see racism in Israel
Jewish Patriot ,   Galut   (06.01.13)
I have never seen racism there. Why does it always come to Arabs everywhere? They are just not fit to live in normal societies. In Israel there are Russians, Ethiopians, Asians, Druze, Cherkess, Indians, Armenian etc communities. It always comes to the Muslim Arabs, you don't hear problems about Indians in USA or in Europe, but you hear problems about Arabs... these Arabs should think and look into themselves, before accusing us of racism, and then they should make their problems better.
8. The Arabs are racists - everywhere
jujiji ,   Jeru   (06.01.13)
and the world is tired of them... everywhere. When they start to behave normally and stop attacking, raping, harassing, and in general being violent to others, then the segregation will stop. For now they are too immature and too violent, the Jews are very nice not to deport them. And this is the case everywhere: work on your own backyard, Miss Aharish, and when Arabs behave normally, recognize Israel, stop being violent to women (first of all their own), work hard and pay taxes, and become civilized, then the world will start respecting them like it respects any individual without looking at the background or the colour of the skin. Arabs are just too numerous to misbehave, and we don't want to suffer their lack of education or overall racism/feeling of superiority and stupidity. They are the racists, when they calm down, they can be around us.
9. Lucy
MR   (06.01.13)
The idiotic Superland incident provoked fierce criticism from the public and from the Knesset. Idiots are everywhere but as long as the whole country reacts like this, and always has, you can be proud - as the concerned Israeli citizen that you are. Proud because you live in a country that always has condemned racism at all levels and forums and rejected it unequivocally. Personally I would be interested to read that "different column" you mention at the end of the article. I have never read that kind of different column. Maybe if you share it with us we can all work together to make Israel a better place. An even better place.
10. Lucy again
MR   (06.01.13)
The Sudanese migrants (where your link took me) are not foreign workers and they didn't come here to take care of our aging parents. If you want to make a point in a sensitive topic, the less such mistakes, the better.
11. No one is thinking Arabs are Perfect
Dan ,   Tel Aviv   (06.01.13)
12. #2 Maybe she could take the traitors Zoabi and
A ,   Belgium   (06.01.13)
Tibi with her to help find the promised land of "palestine". After all, a racist country shouldn't allow enemies of the state to sit in its government and collect their pathetic salaries of 34,000 shekels a month.
13. racism?
dzem ,   usa   (06.01.13)
This writer doesn't understand the difference between racism and nationalism. Sorry, we are all semites... no racism here. Conflict... yes, racism, no. Pls, when you write articles like this, you confuse Americans.
14. Lucy A. Arab reporter & Hater of Israel
YnetsArabReporters ,   Jerusalem Israel   (06.01.13)
Anyone witnessing the behavioral differences between the average Israeli child and the unruly sometimes violent and threatening behavior of Arab children in groups knows full well the potential for violence from the side of the Arab kids who are known to throw racist slurs at Israeli kids which even sometimes escalates into violence !
15. Dear Lucy,
Jean-P ,   Paris   (06.01.13)
I applaud your courage to denounce the deeply rooted racism in israeli society. Don't expect a racist to acknowledge that he is a racist. The racism that we see in the talkbacks is a small indicator of the very point you are trying to make.
16. Very naughty of Lucy...
Bertram ,   London, UK   (06.01.13)
...to set this trap, but having laid the bait to attract these racist responses they rather prove her point. Depressing.
17. Amen to Lucy for telling it like it is!
Sarah ,   Rehovot   (06.01.13)
She's totally spot on. The talkbackers here just prove that there is a problem. Israeli society is one of the most bigoted and divisive ones around... No surprise here.
18. No wonder there's racism in Israel
(06.01.13)
Zionists are racists... No need to go to Harvard for that!
19. Don't expect understanding. Jews are never wrong.
Mark ,   Cleveland USA   (06.01.13)
Thank you for your article. It's useful to hear someone else's perspective about us. Unfortunately, Since WW2, Jews have lost any empathy for non-Jews, and have seen their self righteousness jump off the charts. We don't see our own faults and will defend or rationalize them to the bitter end. After all, someone, somewhere is worse than us right?
20. arabs are master racists and are to blame
mohson   (06.01.13)
arabs have provoked backlash among peace seeking israelis who fortunately did not buy into olmert/livni coward proposals for peace. Livini still continues with her false bromides; we know that olmert in practical matters has 2 left hands. Livni is no better. She is dumb as hell. Law school lets in people who know how to pass legal aptitude tests but who are disconnected from reality. both livni and that piece of drek olmert offered the golan via erdogan to assad- imagine now it would be in their hands. Add to this group baidetz and ashkenazi, 2 political morons. If you cede golan, then cede all of israel- end of story.
21. This is because of politics, nothing to do with racism.
Jo   (06.01.13)
The company is just doing what both groups before, fore ease and to make it fun for all. Two very different groups and modes of dress, language, culture, and with the politics always up and down, this is just practical and just for schools. On normal non school days both Jes and Arabs freely mix and play there on the same day.
22. did the racism work both ways?
Tzvi ,   Israel   (06.01.13)
Superland claims that different specific days were allocated to Arabs and Jews, upon the request of both Arabs and Jews. Would they have turned away a busload of Jewish kids on an 'Arab' day? Did anyone try it I wonder. What if a group of elderly Jews who originally immigrated from say Iraq were to arrive on a Jewish day? They are after all Arabs, all be it Jewish Arabs.
23. Israel may not be perfect
Ilana   (06.01.13)
But it is the best place in the world. The article is awful and not balanced at all. Not that we are perfect, but , well, the author sickens me.
24. Thou all protesteth too much
Middle Path ,   T.Aviv   (06.01.13)
How quick the defensive posturing. Yet is the writer so far off the mark? We may compare all we like with other Arab states, with terror organisations, but two wrongs don't make a right: fact is, there is too much segregation, and it isn't only the separate schools, or the odd incident at fairs etc. There is still a great deal of antagonism between the Ashkenazi and Sephardic cultures, and certainly the Ashkenazi orthodoxy are openly derisive of Sephardic Jews and their traditions. I hear daily derision towards different segments of Israeli society along these very lines. So it's easy to attack the writer, but put yourself in her shoes and allow her the freedom of expression that your boasted of democracy is supposed to allow. She's not asking for agreement and definitely admitted that her own people are not perfect. But can there be more done to integrate the two societies? Oh yes, there most certainly can, and it starts with the children. More sports competitions, more outings, more cultural events that have mixed groups, and very definitely an end to the disgrace of hiring Arab workers only because they come cheaper. And that's fact, so don't let's get all huffy puffy on that one.
25. The Arab sector a subject for another column?
Shalom ,   Jerusalem. Israel   (06.01.13)
Your column would have been much more convincing if you had started by listing the faults of your own community first, before accusing others. By the way, are there organizations combating anti-Jewish prejudice in your community like the Jewish organizations combating anti-Arab prejudices in the Jewish community? I know of several of the latter, but of none in your community.
26. Racist Land. #24
Elsie. ,   Gush Halav.   (06.01.13)
middle path ,you are 100 % right.
27. Speaking of Racism
BEN JABO (MACHAL) ,   ISRAEL   (06.01.13)
“MUSLIM DHIMMITUDE” IS “APARTHEID & RACISM” For well over a millennium, across three continents - Asia, Africa, and Europe - non-Muslims have experienced jihad war ideology, and its ugly corollary institution, Dhimmitude. Today, the debate among Muslim scholars regarding the theological "correctness" of "lesser" versus "greater" jihad are meaningless to the millions of non-Muslim victims- Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Hindus, and Buddhists
28. Reality is Arabs want to steal Israel & admit it.
Chaim ,   Israel   (06.01.13)
The reality is that Arabs want to steal the sole tiny Homeland of the Jewish people. This is not a racist observation. It is an unfortunate factual observation, which is constantly and loudly validated by Arab leaders themselves.
29. Absolutely agree
Rain   (06.01.13)
Of course it's not surprising. This country is filled with preconceptions and racism against the other, whoever that other might be. Anyone who thinks it is surprisingly either doesn;t live here or is kidding themselves
30. Racism is everywhere
Adi ,   Tel Aviv   (06.01.13)
Racism is everywhere. It is not only in Israel. I do admit that Israeli people are obsessed with ethnic background. I have red hair and a white skin, which is uncommon in Israel. Do you know how many times I get to hear: where are you from? how can you be Jewish with red hair? etc etc. It gets annoying at one point. So I do understand the Arabs when they get to deal with this every day.
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