NationStates Jolt Archive

Israeli campaigners and left-wing lawmakers have condemned moves to ban Israeli Arabs from marking the Nakba - the "catastrophe" of Israel's creation.

On Sunday a government panel backed putting the bill, proposed by the party of far-right Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, before the Israeli Knesset.

A Labour minister opposed it; Hadash, a mainly Arab party, called it "racist".

Some 700,000 Palestinians fled or were forced from their homes in the 1948 war after Israel declared independence.

About 20% of Israel's population are descended from Arab citizens of British Mandate Palestine who remained on the territory that became Israel.

Along with Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza and around the world, Israeli Arabs anniversary on 15 May with mourning and commemoration events.

Israelis marking the creation of their state, at the same time of year, although according to the Hebrew calendar.
Under the proposed legislation, people caught marking the Nakba could be jailed for up to three years.

Avigdor Lieberman's party, Yisrael Beiteinu, says the bill is "intended to strengthen unity in the state of Israel".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8066892.stm

Yep, they're living up to my expectations admirably.....

Ugh, are Israel and Palestine allergic to good news or something?

Ah, yes. Unity through legislation and criminalization of dissent.

You know, for a nation that dislikes Iran so much, they have remarkably similar strategies of government.

Ah, yes. Unity through legislation and criminalization of dissent.

You know, for a nation that dislikes Iran so much, they have remarkably similar strategies of government.

Opposite sides of the same coin, dontcha know.

Opposite sides of the same coin, dontcha know.
And the both begin with the letter 'I'...

Have you ever seen Israel and Iran in the same room together?

And the both begin with the letter 'I'...

Have you ever seen Israel and Iran in the same room together?

You know, if Israel took off that skull cap.......

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8066892.stm

Yep, they're living up to my expectations admirably.....

Oh for fuck's sake, do these people not understand what it would take to have peace and tranquility?

Here's a hint, people: it starts with equality.

Oh for fuck's sake, do these people not understand what it would take to have peace and tranquility?

Here's a hint, people: it starts with equality.

What ever gave you the idea that they want peace and tranquility?

The worst part is that I suspect that most Israelis do want peace and tranquility and either oppose the segment of government that thinks this is a good idea or are duped into thinking that their political party knows best. It's not a phenomenon limited to the United States.

But the truth is that conflict keeps the core of their government in power and they will keep causing it to retain that power. Between that, the requirement to 'certify' candidates to government positions, the control over 'free press' and the inordinate amount of influence religion has over government, I'm surprised they don't just change their name to West Iran. :tongue:

And the both begin with the letter 'I'...


And the beards...lots of beards.....

What ever gave you the idea that they want peace and tranquility?

The worst part is that I suspect that most Israelis do want peace and tranquility and either oppose the segment of government that thinks this is a good idea or are duped into thinking that their political party knows best.

^this^, very likely.

Or they want peace and tranquility via the obliteration of whatever they don't consider Israel and lies within 1000 km of their borders.

:(

In a land populated by mean people you'll get, well, mean stuff.

Restrictions on freedom of speech? In Israel? Perish the thought!

As our resident pro-Israeli poster, I hereby oppose this bill.

nobody going to support? fine I'll let my evil twin on the keyboard!

the celebrations are inherently anti-Israeli and no doubt a great source of recruitment/funding for terrorist elements (sort of like St Patrick's in NY 1980) for Israel to allow for such festivals to go on poses a threat not only to Israeli citizens but the state itself and must be prohibited.

also you could argue that such events are just an excuse to go have a fight

nobody going to support? fine I'll let my evil twin on the keyboard!

the celebrations are inherently anti-Israeli and no doubt a great source of recruitment/funding for terrorist elements (sort of like St Patrick's in NY 1980) for Israel to allow for such festivals to go on poses a threat not only to Israeli citizens but the state itself and must be prohibited.

also you could argue that such events are just an excuse to go have a fight

Do you feel dirty? I bet you do!


And maybe a little bit turned on?

And maybe a little bit turned on?

you wouldn't happen to have any numbers of right wing Jewish girls would you?

you wouldn't happen to have any numbers of right wing Jewish girls would you?

Do I seem like the kind of person who women would willingly give me their number?

Do I seem like the kind of person who women would willingly give me their number?


In fairness he neither specified "willingly" or "knowingly".

In fairness he neither specified "willingly" or "knowingly".

or even what kind of numbers I want >_> *faps to math homework*

or even what kind of numbers I want >_> *faps to math homework*

I fear you.

Do I seem like the kind of person who women would willingly give me their number?

Only if you fnord me, baby. Only if you fnord me.

Can't we clean the entire zone and forbid that anyone can have a living there?

After 60 years, I'm sick about news of that area.

Can't we clean the entire zone and forbid that anyone can have a living there?

After 60 years, I'm sick about news of that area.

Excellent! This will create peace by forcing the Jews and Arabs to fight together to defend themselves!

Excellent! This will create peace by forcing the Jews and Arabs to fight together to defend themselves!

We are looking for unity. :p

We are looking for unity. :p

The best place to bury the hatchet is in someone else's skull.

I don't support any sort of limits on free speech, so this is a bad thing. However I can see what they're trying to do here and it's understandable.

Here we have a country where a significant chunk of the population want to perpetually commemorate the founding of the country as a disaster, which only serves to stir up more trouble. This is the sort of thing that assists terrorist cells in their recruiting.

No matter where you stand on whether Israel should have been founded in the first place, the fact is that it's there now, it has been for just over 60 years, and it was founded by a mandate from the U.N. The time for bitching and moaning about it is over. At this point, energies are better expended in finding a solution that doesn't mean playing the martyr every May 15 in perpetuity.

Like I said I don't support any government banning free expression, and this case is no exception, but I can sympathize.

Here we have a country where a significant chunk of the population want to perpetually commemorate the founding of the country as a disaster, which only serves to stir up more trouble.


...as opposed to the other shower, who want to perpetually commemorate the founding of the country as a thing far greater than the invention of sliced bread, which creates no animosity whatsoever, with anyone.

Here we have a country where a significant chunk of the population want to perpetually commemorate the founding of the country as a disaster, which only serves to stir up more trouble. This is the sort of thing that assists terrorist cells in their recruiting.

That's ridiculous. Naqba commemoration is politicized in exactly the same way Israeli Independence Day is: it's a matter of affirming people's respective understandings of the history involved. This "stirs up more trouble" only in the sense that any major political disagreement does.

No matter where you stand on whether Israel should have been founded in the first place, the fact is that it's there now, it has been for just over 60 years, and it was founded by a mandate from the U.N.

That's right. But the question of Israel's justification remains fundamental to the whole picture: Zionist aspirations and the Palestinian understanding of their victimhood are at the core of this conflict. It's not, "Should Israel survive?", but it is, "How far should Israel recognize that the Palestinians have a legitimate grievance?"

The best place to bury the hatchet is in someone else's skull.

Don't bury the hatchet, the head isn't biodegradable.

As our resident pro-Israeli poster, I hereby oppose this bill.Seconded.