Palestine will be an Apartheid State

The Boycott and Delegitimization Campaign against Israel tries to portray Israel as an apartheid state. The charge will not stand up to scrutiny-Israel's 1.6 million Arab citizens, about 20% of its population, have full civil rights, vote, form political parties, serve in the Knesset, and participate in every aspect and institution of Israel, including (if they are Druse or Beduin) in the military. Whether Moslem or Christian, their freedom to worship and to teach their religion to their children and others is unfettered. Of course Israel is not free of discrimination against Arabs, just as the U.S. is not free of discrimination against its racial minorities. However, the situation can only be termed "apartheid" by someone who is recklesssly or wilfully ignorant of the facts.

Now let's turn to Saudi Arabia. Jews are not even allowed in the country. Christians--including visiting businessmen-- may only practice privately. Jewish and Christian books are banned. The situation for other non-Islamic religions is the same or worse. Only Moslems have any civil rights. Why is Saudi Arabia not branded an apartheid state?

How about the areas of Yehuda and Shomron (the so-called West Bank) under the control of the Palestinian Authority or Gaza, under the control of Hamas. Except for the formerly Jewish wives of Arabs, who no longer practice their religion, the life expectancy of an unarmed Jew in those areas may be measured in minutes. Forget about legal rights, mere survival is an issue. Why are Hamas and the Palestinian Authority not condemned as apartheid regimes?


In case you might think that matters will improve with Palestinian independence, this week Maen Areikat (the smiling gentleman in the photo to the left), the Palestinian Liberation Organization's ambassador to the United States, met with reporters in Washington D.C. this morning at a breakfast sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor. He informed them that Jews will not be permitted in the new Palestine.

Why are so many nations eager to approve the creation of a truly apartheid racist state, at Israel's expense.

(Hat tip: Caroline Glick in the Jerusalem Post.)