Raam head Abbas rejects Amnestys apartheid label for Israel – The Times of Israel
Posted By admin on February 11, 2022
AP Raam party head Mansour Abbas said Thursday he would not use the word apartheid to describe relations between Jews and Arabs within the country.
Amnesty International last week joined two other well-known human rights groups in saying that Israels policies toward the Palestinians within its borders and in the West Bank and Gaza amount= to apartheid. Israel rejects those allegations as antisemitic, saying that, among other things, they ignore the rights and freedoms enjoyed by its Arab citizens.
I would not call it apartheid, Abbas said in response to a question at an online event organized by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a DC-based think tank. He noted that he was in a governing coalition with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and could join the cabinet if he wanted to.
I prefer to describe the reality in objective ways, he added, according to the English translation of his remarks, which he delivered in Hebrew. If there is discrimination in a certain field, then we will say that there is discrimination in that specific field.
He did not say whether he thinks the apartheid term applies to the West Bank, where more than 2.5 million Palestinians live under Israeli military rule alongside nearly 500,000 Jewish settlers with Israeli citizenship. Israel captured the territory from its Jordanian occupiers in the 1967 Mideast war, and the Palestinians want it to form the main part of their future state.
Get The Times of Israel's Daily Editionby email and never miss our top stories
Abbass Islamist Raam party made history in June by becoming the first major Arab party to sit in a governing coalition, which includes parties from across the political spectrum.
Raam party leader Mansour Abbas at the party headquarters in Tamra, on election night, March 23, 2021. (Flash90)
He has steered the faction toward a more pragmatic approach than Arab parties have traditionally taken, working with the government to secure gains for the Arab community.
Arabs make up some 20% of Israels population of nearly 9.5 million. They have citizenship, including the right to vote, and have a major presence in the medical profession and universities, among other fields. But they face widespread discrimination.
They have close familial ties to the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza and largely identify with their cause. Historically, they refused to join coalitions and were not invited to do so.
The rights groups say Israel only grants citizenship to a minority of the Palestinians under its control in an overarching system designed to ensure a Jewish majority in as much of the Holy Land as possible.
Rights group Amnesty stages a demonstration outside the UK headquarters of US travel company TripAdvisor in London on January 30, 2019. (Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP)
Israel views such allegations as an assault on its very existence, saying its policies are designed to ensure the survival and well-being of the worlds only Jewish state.
Abbas said his focus is on bringing Jews and Arabs together to address social and economic challenges.
Im usually trying not to be judgmental, Im not trying to say youre racist or the state is racist, or this is an apartheid state or not an apartheid state, Abbas said. My role as a political leader is to try to bridge the gaps.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
The Climate Crisis and Responsible Journalism
As The Times of Israel's environment reporter, I try to convey the facts and science behind climate change and environmental degradation, to explain - and critique - the official policies affecting our future, and to describe Israeli technologies that can form part of the solution.
I am passionate about the natural world and disheartened by the dismal lack of awareness to environmental issues shown by most of the public and politicians in Israel.
I'm proud to be doing my part to keep Times of Israel readers properly informed about this vital subject - which can and does effect policy change.
Your support, through membership in The Times of Israel Community, enables us to continue our important work. Would you join our Community today?
Thank you,
Sue Surkes, Environment Reporter
Youre serious. We appreciate that!
Were really pleased that youve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
Thats why we come to work every day - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we havent put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Read the rest here:
Raam head Abbas rejects Amnestys apartheid label for Israel - The Times of Israel
- Saudi delegation to visit West Bank this week as Israel normalization talk increases - The Times of Israel - September 26th, 2023
- Israel Transferred Tens of Thousands of Shekels to Eritrean ... - Haaretz - September 26th, 2023
- Israel | General Assembly - General Assembly of the United Nations General Debate - September 26th, 2023
- Israel arrests 8 Palestinian students suspected of planning terror attack - The Times of Israel - September 26th, 2023
- Ghosts of the past: For Israel, war on UNESCO is an existential battle - Middle East Monitor - September 26th, 2023
- Israel's New Swedish Friends Are the Wrong Crowd - Opinion - Haaretz - September 26th, 2023
- Lebanon, Israel troops fire tear gas along tense border in a disputed area - Al Jazeera English - September 26th, 2023
- UK and Israel: Has the fightback against weaponised antisemitism ... - Middle East Eye - September 26th, 2023
- On Yom Kippur, Facing the Question: Where Is Israel Headed ... - Haaretz - September 26th, 2023
- 50 years after the Yom Kippur War, veterans see echoes in Israels current crisis - The Times of Israel - September 26th, 2023
- Iran claims: We have missiles that can hit Israel - Arutz Sheva - September 26th, 2023
- Israel's Covert War on Iran's Nuclear Program Is Impressive. But Is It ... - Mosaic - September 26th, 2023
- 'Can India's diplomatic spat with Canada be its Israel moment?' - Times of India - September 26th, 2023
- Peace and good neighborliness: Israel congratulates Saudis on their National Day - The Times of Israel - September 26th, 2023
- Everything We Know About Israel's New Robotic Drone Tank (And ... - SlashGear - September 26th, 2023
- Israels Cyberstarts closes $480m fund for cybersecurity investments - The Times of Israel - September 26th, 2023
- Israel is cursed from within, but it could be turned into a blessing - The Jerusalem Post - September 26th, 2023
- An economic corridor, the Israel link and the geopolitics - The Hindu - September 26th, 2023
- Israel and US conduct joint training on air defenses - The Jerusalem Post - September 26th, 2023
- Rare 3800-year-old passageway and vault found in northern Israel - The Jerusalem Post - September 26th, 2023
- Iran unveils longest-range drone in the world, threatens Israel at military parade - The Times of Israel - September 26th, 2023
- Canadas parliament, Trudeau and Zelensky give inadvertent ovation to Nazi war veteran - The Times of Israel - September 26th, 2023
- Israel Premier Tech wrap up successful week at the Tour de ... - Israel - Premier Tech - September 26th, 2023
- "Israel and Turkey are leading the Middle East gaming industry" - CTech - September 14th, 2023
- Smoking Rooms to Return to Israel's International Airport, Bucking ... - Haaretz - September 14th, 2023
- Rifts in Israel's coalition as Ben-Gvir withholds support - The New Arab - September 14th, 2023
- Home - Israel | The Netherlands and Israel - The Netherlands and You - September 14th, 2023
- Noa's Arc: How Noa Tishby went from actress to Israel activist - The Jewish Chronicle - September 14th, 2023
- Moody's likely won't lower Israel's credit rating but outlook could ... - Ynetnews - September 14th, 2023
- Turkey frees Israeli held over ornamental bell it claimed was artifact - The Times of Israel - September 14th, 2023
- Congregation Beth Israel to Host 'Rosh Hashanah in the Park' - http://www.we-ha.com - September 14th, 2023
- US should help win the freedom of Israeli scholar missing in Iraq, her sister says - The Times of Israel - September 14th, 2023
- Foreign Secretary travels to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian ... - GOV.UK - September 14th, 2023
- Israel says it will reopen the main cargo crossing to Gaza on Sunday, a relief for Gazan producers - ABC News - September 14th, 2023
- Mossad chief vows to target Irans highest echelon if Israelis, Jews hurt in terror - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- Israeli delegation makes first open visit to Saudi Arabia - FRANCE 24 English - September 12th, 2023
- Israel expects 30% of cars on its roads to be electric by 2030 - Reuters.com - September 12th, 2023
- We must reshape the Israel conversation on campus - opinion - The Jerusalem Post - September 12th, 2023
- Israel on edge as Supreme Court convenes for historic, crucial overhaul hearing - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- Leading protester in Israel speaks to CNN ahead of Supreme Court hearing - CNN - September 12th, 2023
- UK foreign secretary in Israel to talk Iran threats, Palestinian state - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- American Rabbis, Tell Your Congregants: The Israel You Knew Is a ... - Haaretz - September 12th, 2023
- Why Barcelona reversed its decision to cut ties with Israel - The New Arab - September 12th, 2023
- Israel ties Romania 1-1 as they fight to qualify for 2024 Euro soccer tourney - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- Earthquake preparedness exercise in northern Israel - Arutz Sheva - September 12th, 2023
- Here's What I Learned on My Trip to Israel | White Coat Investor - The White Coat Investor - September 12th, 2023
- 'It's Hard to Consider Abandoning Israel. But Leaving Is the Only ... - Haaretz - September 12th, 2023
- Israel imposing apartheid on Palestinians, says former Mossad chief - The Guardian - September 12th, 2023
- Four 1,900-year-old Roman swords found in cave in Israel - CNN - September 12th, 2023
- Citing God of Israel, Papua New Guinea becomes 5th nation to open Jerusalem embassy - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- US said to transfer armored vehicles, weapons to PA to clamp down on West Bank terror - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- Israel preparing to send search and rescue mission, assistance to quake-hit Morocco - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- NYC exhibit shows Israeli Hebrew didnt kill Yiddish, it gave it a new nest to live in - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- Rahat man suspected of killing wife, turning gun on self - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- Israel's toxic harvest in Africa - The Africa Report - September 12th, 2023
- Iran and Israel find common purpose: The subjugation of women - The Hill - August 28th, 2023
- Israel's foreign minister meets with Libyan counterpart in sign of ... - POLITICO - August 28th, 2023
- Imagine Dragons warmup band AJR tours Israel ahead of Tuesday show - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- Palestinian Mother Deported to Gaza After 30 Years in Israel ... - Haaretz - August 28th, 2023
- Citing Israeli example, Zelensky says Ukrainians need to learn to live with conflict - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- Israel says it foiled bid to smuggle Iran-made explosives over Jordan border - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- The politics of visiting Israel aren't stuck in the '90s - City & State - August 28th, 2023
- Israel's Dead End: We Don't Have the Luxury of Despair - Opinion - Haaretz - August 28th, 2023
- Israels cost of living the highest among OECD countries in 2022, data shows - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- In Israel, Adams Has Swagger in His Step and 'Hustle' on His Sleeve - The New York Times - August 28th, 2023
- A minister who hates Arabs will protect Arab children?: 100k at Tel Aviv protests - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- Israel uncovers massive section of Second Temple-era Jerusalem ... - The Jerusalem Post - August 28th, 2023
- One Voyage That Changed the Face of Jewish Culture in Israel ... - Haaretz - August 28th, 2023
- Inside the negotiations over Israels democracy - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- Vivek Ramaswamy Touched the Third Rail on Israel. He's Surely ... - Vanity Fair - August 28th, 2023
- Arab Israeli activist says he was assaulted at UAE airport over pro-Israel advocacy - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- Tantleff, Berkey and Hutter family to be honored by Israel Bonds at ... - ROI-NJ.com - August 28th, 2023
- Israel should build closer ties with Uganda - opinion - The Jerusalem Post - August 28th, 2023
- Israels Marhu Teferi wins silver in mens marathon at World Athletics Championships - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- 4 Palestinians attack army post near Jenin, are shot by troops - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- Israel Airports Authority: Serious delays in flights to and from UK - The Times of Israel - August 28th, 2023
- Libyans burn tyres in protest over Israel meeting video - The Guardian - August 28th, 2023
- Bringing Sundays to Israel: Is it time for the workweek to change? - The Jerusalem Post - August 28th, 2023
- Iran unveils armed drone resembling America's MQ-9 Reaper and says it could potentially reach Israel - The Associated Press - August 22nd, 2023
- Analysis | A Saudi-Israeli Peace Deal? Who Wants What and Why - The Washington Post - August 22nd, 2023
Comments