Comments on: Israel: Arab Citizens of Israel Oppose National Service

By: Rachel

Rachel — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 09:09:09 +0000

Actually, Nadia and Dima, I believe there are actually many Arab Israelis who refuse to pay taxes because they don’t recognize the government of the land that they live in. However, while not paying taxes, they do take advantage of the welfare services that other people’s tax dollars fund.

By: Dima

Dima — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 23:58:43 +0000

Nadia, of course the Arab citizen are subject to the same tax system as anybody else in Israel. I think, and please correct me Gilad if i am wrong, he refers to two points.

First, all Israelis are required either to serve in the army (majority) or do civil service (minority) that includes working with socioeconomically challenged (very PC term) populations. The only exceptions are Arab-Israelis (Israeli-Palestinians, whatever you prefer) for the reasons described in the post and orthodox Jews for another array of historical reasons. The people who serve in one way or another are in fact contributing to the society in various ways (you may agree with some and disagree with others). This contribution goes to everyone Jews and Arabs.

The second point, is probably referring to the fact that the degree of socioeconomically challenged among the Arab-Israelis is unproportionally higher. It is not to say that there are no populations in similar status among Jews and it does not taking away from the discussion about the roots of the problem. What it does say is that today contribution to the welfare is relatively higher among the the Jewish population compared to the Arab, and at the same time there is greater reliance on welfare system among the Israeli-Arabs, compared to the Israeli-Jews.

Hope it helps to clarify. But i do share the amusement from the fact that this idea is being rejected and framed as “physical extermination of the Arabs”. I fail to see that link.

By: Abe Bird

Abe Bird — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 21:29:50 +0000

See no reason why Israeli Arab citizens won’t do the same public service as the Jewish Israelis. Some small portion of the Arabs, Muslims too, are enlisting to the IDF and serve for 3 years. The government wants the others to give at least one year of their life to help supporting social Arabs’ condition. Arabs should enlist to help themselves and not blame Israel for all their own faults.

By: Nadia

Nadia — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:38:37 +0000

How can the Israeli youth be required to serve and help the Arab sector’s welfare while Arab youth are exempt because of their leader’s requests?

Arab citizens don’t pay for the same welfare with their taxes? Or when he’s talking about the ’service’ Israel provides to Palestinians is that a reference to the IDF?

By: Louis

Louis — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:01:58 +0000

I don’t see anything wrong here. It’s a social reform, not a religious reform. It’s not asking the Israeli-Arab to abandon their religion and identity, but asking for their contribution to the state. I think “physical extermination of the Arabs” is a bit too extreme of a speech.

By: Dima

Dima — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:10:07 +0000

I think your point Yazan also refers to coneptualization of what Jewish is. The thing is that it goes beyond definition of religion. I view myself secular and Jewish, where the later part for me is an ethno-cultural concept. My grandparents’ families were not killed in the Holocaust because of their religious practices…

By: Gilad Lotan

Gilad Lotan — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 22:10:23 +0000

You’re hitting an important point here Yazan. Most people don’t realize how deep the internal tear is within Israeli society. A majority of 2nd generation-born secular Israelis see religion there as oppressive & parasitical. These communities who live on tax money and pray all day long. I think that if Israel didn’t have so many external problems, it would have a huge internal crisis – redefining the role of religion.

By: Yazan Badran

Yazan Badran — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:03:59 +0000

I don’t personally think there’s anything wrong with the concept of Arab-Israelis doing social service instead of military service. But then again, it’s not an isolated thing, you have a whole state that defines itself as a “Jewish State” which automatically will eliminate any kind of belonging any of the other religions might have. Hell, I dont even get how secular and atheist non-arab-israelis can live with that.