False Dichotomies

One of the exciting things about Israel’s electoral system is that every new election sees new parties and alliances. Since the collapse of Livni’s attempts to form a government, we’ve already seen a new green alliance, as well as speculation that a new left-wing bloc will be formed. Perhaps even more significant, though, is the prospect – first mooted in Haaretz a fortnight ago – that Israeli-Arab MKS are considering a new party to represent the entire Israeli-Arab public. According to Haaretz, the group, which is made up of former and currently serving MKs, has suggested that Science, Culture and Sport Minister Ghaleb Majadele (Labour) be the party’s chief. Details are still scanty, but the idea is that the party will work for the “welfare” of Israeli-Arab citizens.

In case anyone needed reminding of the discrimination faced by Israeli-Arabs in Israel, a timely reminder was recently given by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, during an appearance before a Knesset panel. “I feel uncomfortable with the fact that the state for many years acted improperly and should have made fundamental changes,” the Prime Minister said. “We have not yet overcome the barrier of discrimination, which is a deliberate discrimination and the gap is insufferable…A cycle has been established whereby on the one hand, the Arab population did not know how to establish a proper management system and on the other hand governments have denied them their rights to improve their quality of life.”

Much is rightly said about the de facto second-class status of Israel’s Palestinian-Arab citizens, and the role of the Israeli establishment in perpetuating the problem. Less, however, is said about the status of Israeli-Arab political parties in national institutions, and how those parties might function better. For too long, Israeli-Arab politicians have been unduly concerned with nationalist gestures, provocative in nature, such as visiting Hizbollah leaders in Lebanon/Syria. These gestures generally do nothing to help the Palestinian people, whether they are in Israel, the territories or the diaspora.

The primary responsibility of Israeli-Palestinian politicians should be to Israeli-Palestinians. In this sense, Israeli-Arab parties need to become more adept at the dirty coalition politics through which the various Israeli tribes develop themselves. The traditional excuse for this failure is the Israeli political taboo against inviting Israeli-Arab politicians into the coalition. This taboo is unjustifiable, and without it a centre-left coalition would be able to govern the country with relative ease. But the Israeli-Arab parties need to make sure that they are indispensable. The formation of a new umbrella grouping would be an important step in the right direction.

Look at the Ultra-Orthodox parties. Hardly big Zionists themselves, they understand that seats in the Knesset mean funds for their projects. Shas has been in every government since 1984, with the exception of the coalition formed by Sharon in 2003. One only needs to look at their positions on work and the army to see that they are hardly major supporters of traditional Israeli state institutions, occasional rhetoric to the contrary notwithstanding.

It’s a little known fact, but there is affirmative action for Israeli-Arabs in the public sector. Last year, the government approved a measure that required 8^% of all civil service jobs to be manned by Arabs by 2010. The target for 2012 is 12%. Of course, this still falls short of the Israeli-Arab percentage of the population, which hovers at around 20%. The point is that this has been achieved without a single Israeli-Arab party in the ruling coalition. A good example of what might be achievable can be found in India, where untouchable parties have managed to secure huge advances through carefully playing the democratic game. In Uttar Pradesh, for example, the Chief Minister is a Dalit.

For a variety of reasons, the performance of Israeli-Arab parties in national elections is akin to an underachieving football team. The idea of an umbrella grouping is one that should be embraced by all seeking the advancement and self-empowerment of minorities within Israeli society.