Israel has been both a Jewish and a democratic state since 1948, and it will remain so forever. (“Genocidal maniacs like Netanyahu will lead Israel to ruin”, Cape Argus December 19).
In spite of the hostility surrounding it, Israel is a liberal democracy. All citizens enjoy the same rights and obligations. They all have political parties, members in the Knesset, and judges on the Supreme Court.
All citizens go to the same hospitals as doctors, nurses and patients. Israeli Arabs are overrepresented in its universities.
Arabs in Gaza are under the brutal control of Hamas. Almost all Palestinian Authority Arabs are administered by the PA. They are not Israelis, nor are they under Israeli law. There is some security co-operation between the PA and Israel, as per the Oslo accords.
Israel does not “occupy” what is its sovereign territory under international law.
The PA and Hamas don’t talk to each other and certainly don’t talk to Israel about peace. Their school, mosques and media teach hatred and death for Jews. They allow no possibility for peaceful co-existence.
Any time the Arabs change their minds, their people can aspire to the standards that Israel enjoys.
Till then, Israel will continue to be the 4th happiest country in the world for its Jewish and Arab citizens.
* Len Bennett, Ottawa, Canada.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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