Haifa's Arabs: We won't leave city

[sabra]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3289009,00.html

Haifa's Arabs: We won't leave city

Former MK Issam Mahoul rejects Nasrallah's call to Haifa's Arab population to evacuate city; 'We have nothing to do outside of Haifa, and we refuse to be refugees,' Mahoul asserts. Haifa Mayor: Nasrallah won't succeed in uprooting Arab residents
Ahiya Raved


Former Knesset Member and Haifa resident Issam Mahoul on Wednesday categorically rejected Hizbullah chief Hassan Nasrallah's call to Arab residents of Haifa to evacuate the city.

"We have nothing to do outside of Haifa, and we have no reason to panic. The Palestinian people are especially unwilling to be refugees of any kind again," Mahoul told Ynet.

...

In a conversation with Ynet, Mahoul said, "Nasrallah should have know that in 1948 the communist party was also opposed to Arab residents leaving their homes." He added that in his opinion now was not the time to leave the city "in the hands of the supporters of the war," and he was working so both the Jewish and Arab populations would avoid panic.

"Simultaneously, we are issuing a call not hit civilian populations in principle – not in Haifa, not in Lebanon and not in Gaza . This is the time for political action by all opponents of the war," he said.

[villager]

1. good for their quite brave stand for peace and sanity...

n/t

[azurnoir]

2. Issam Mahoul is a very

intellegent and astute man. If Israeli arabs were to abandon their homes now, what are the chances they'de get them back in the future? Although I fear his call for reason will fall on deaf ears all around.