Opinion
When Israel's right-wing courted the Arab vote
Dr. Arnon Degani
Published: 28.09.19, 23:40
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20 Talkbacks for this article
1. Bringing up 60 yr old politicians is irrelevant. Left crazy.
Steve Benassi ,   Minneapolis USA   (09.29.19)
2. Israeli-Arabs are natural partners of the Right.
Jake   (09.29.19)
They are socially conservative. They are tribal & religious. They would rather have access to their brothers in Judea & Samaria under one sovereign system. They have benefited immensely from Netanyahu's push for open market capitalism (big corporations cater to all races equally). They have also benefited immensely from Netanyahu's improvement of roads and transportation in the periphery. The Left wants to relinquish Judea & Samaria because they are afraid of a larger Arab minority. The Right is less afraid, for good reason.
3. Yes, dear Doctor, we know these sentiments, heard them for
(09.29.19)
tens of years, still: it does not make them any more valid in the eyes of patriotic, realistic and driven Israelis.
"Palestinians" on the other hand, probably love you very much.
You should dwell among them....
4. What's the point?
Andrew ,   Toronto   (09.29.19)
I fail to see what the author is actually trying to say here as his point.
5. Begin was racist,but unlike Netanyahu was not cheap or liar
kms ,   Jerusalem   (09.29.19)
6. STOP LIVING IN THE PAST !
TEL EM STRAIGHT ,   SAFED HONESTY   (09.29.19)
7. WHEN YOU NEED VOTES
CAPTAIN OBVIOUS ,   SAFED OBVIOUS   (09.29.19)
When one is desperate for votes ,one will take votes from anyone .
8. They should ban together to ban Pork doesn’t belong in ME
RussianPorkEaters ,   Jerusalem   (09.29.19)
9. Article presents falsehoods
Prominade ,   Tel Aviv   (09.29.19)
The author is intentionally misleading in this article. Generically using the term "Arabs" leading readers to elieve Begin courted Muslim arabs. The arabs Begin courted were Jewish arabs since the Labor party treated them as 2nd class citizens. The authors claim that arabs could vote prior to 1967 is false. Prior to 1967, Judea and Samaria were under Jordanian occupation and Gaza was under Egyptian occupation. The arabs in those territories did not vote in Israeli elections. But everyone, Jews, Muslims and Christian's could vote in the land of the State of Israel. Many Muslims chose not to vote as a form of protest of the existance of the state of Israel.
10. The left saw the 67 gains as a bargaining chip
Jackieboy   (09.29.19)
While the right saw it as a superior defensive position. Both were concerned with saving their lives. The left by begging, the right by expanding. The left's scheme fell apart right away. Only in the 2000's did the Arabs, some of them, hint that they would accept pre-67 lines. Meanwhile their share was shrinking. They use that as an excuse not to negotiate. The left, ie. The center left, is back to begging.
11. He won the election but the Right never really ruled
FalseVictory ,   Jerusalem   (09.30.19)
All the old left wing hacks of labor and Mapai were left in their positions he didn’t even try to create a balanced media leaving his own supporters to suffer 40 years of degradation at the left wing post Zionist Post Judaic medias hands there was no true victory and his successors Shamir Sharon and Netanyahu failed to settle the land and eastern Jerusalem ..what victory..?!!
12. We're Here, We're Kwik, We're Jews
Rabbi I. Lovetsky ,   Ukraine   (10.01.19)
Staring at this column from a distance, it is not difficult to perceive a great residual anguish that, like a large cloud, overshadows the article from beginning to end. Perhaps that is why some of the commentators of this thread do not quite well understand what the author wants to tell us.

In my opinion, the only thing clear about this journalistic piece is the anguish that Israel's "radical sociologists" cause them to defend the "occupation of Arab lands" from their classic mental structures. A good example of this happened a week ago when A. Tibi, after recommending Gantz to Pres. Reivlin, said: "This [Israel proper] is our land," and Gantz remained as taciturn as a statue.

Jewish radicalism, after having supported for 170 years the right of all peoples to own and govern their ancestral lands, mainly to fight successfully against European colonialism all over the world, now it hasn't no grounds to justify the alleged "Jewish robbery of the Arab lands." Worse yet, they feel terrified thinking about the possibility of to follow "occupying" the West Bank by denying the vote to the Arab population which, in their opinion, would be the final consummation of the "Israeli apartheid." Nor do they have any arguments to oppose the return of all Palestinian refugees.

Acutely aware of such of so huge intellectual bankruptcy, Radicals are ready to give up the entire West Bank to the Arabs.

But they are not naive either. Because they know Arabs and their sponsors they know also their dreams and their hatred well, and not a few fear that after the withdrawal the Arabs will gradually claim the rest of Israel, from Haifa to Eilat.

When the mind is reclaimed by absolutely contradictory requests, caught between a rock and a hard place, it feels an indescribable anguish. But sometimes that is the best time for the deep mind, the best of ourselves, to take the initiative creating a new world out nothing, without preconceptions.

Jewish genius is specially trained to solve this type of crossroads perfectly.
13. Arnon Degani FB
(10.02.19)
Klein's map is far apt and ground in reality than your map. Your map was never a reality on the ground, nor existed, save for during the reign of King David, and the Jewish commonwealth under the Maccabim, after glorious rebellion and independence from materialistic imperialistic entities, the same kind who still maneuver against till this day.

Tell me, do you take issue with the borders that existed during David's/Solomon's reign? if you were alive would you protest them? If you were alive during the Hasmonean period, would you protest the borders then?



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