One might have expected solidarity

[Violet_Crumble]

"We must keep this in mind: The handwriting is still on the wall." With these words, Justice Theodor Or, the chairman of the commission of inquiry that looked into the violent clashes between Jews and Arabs in October 2000, chose to end the speech he delivered at Tel Aviv University in 2004, one year after the publication of the commission's report. Or was referring to the state of the relationship between Jews and Arabs.

His words would seem to be appropriate for the present-day situation following the war. Many people are comparing the Yom Kippur War in 1973 with the current war, and there are similarities. But in one realm, a fundamental change has been registered: the place of Israel's Arab citizens in the war. In 1973, there was a fear that Arabs would strike at the Jewish home front, a fear that was not realized. Whereas this time, the war prominently highlighted the part the Arabs played in the northern home front, among the dead and casualties, as well.

At first glance, one might have expected to see expressions of solidarity and a deepening of internal unity between Jews and Arabs, given the sense of shared faith and partnership. But the bereavement did not draw hearts closer. It only deepened the rifts. The statement that missiles do not discriminate between Jewish communities and Arab communities remains an empty slogan.

Conversely, the dilemma of the national identity of Israeli Arabs grew sharper during the war. The stark contrast between their Palestinian and Arab identity and their Israeli citizenship was intensified, and was reflected by the setback in relations between Jews and Arabs in Israel.

The Jewish public expected the Arab minority to identify with the state and condemn Hezbollah, but such a response never came. Instead, there was an increase in Arab criticism of government policies, which were seen as overly aggressive and warmongering, and as carrying out the imperialist policies of the United States. Israel's losses and inability to defeat Hezbollah enhanced the image of Hassan Nasrallah in the eyes of many Israeli Arabs. The lack of bomb shelters and warning sirens in Arab towns, and the overall sense of having being deserted, contributed to the feelings of frustration.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/754118.html

[Igel]

1. I have a question.

Maybe not important; depends on the answer.

I've seen it reported in various media that the Israeli Arabs had the attitude that when Israel bombed Lebanon, it was bad, and it was Israel's fault. When Hezbollah bombed Israel, it was bad, and it was Israel's fault. I.e., the Jewish component of Israel's fault.

Now, the reports from Lebanon were nearly uniformly "All Arabs backing Hezbollah"; articles in which Xians, Druse, and Sunnis weren't nearly in line with this slogan existed, but got drowned out. My impression is that this generalization was facilitated by a nearly studious attempt never to say that a person quoted in support of Nasrallah was Shi'ite: in the absence of group identification, he was the assumed "every Lebanese". This was disingenuous, but the norm.

The reports from Israel were similar. But the report I remember most clearly were interviews with the owner of a shop specializing in Islamic paraphernalia and some people that just happened to be there. Again, these were "every Israeli Arab", as though every Israeli Arab is the kind of Muslim that frequents shops specializing in Islam-stuff. I'm betting that if I transposed this such that they had interviewed a Xian bookstore owner in the US or Australia (assuming Australia has such things) and its customers it would *not* be considered a valid inference that their views reflected those of "every American" or "every Australian".

So ... is there any info on the relative support/identification as Israeli on the part of Xian Arabs versus Sunni Arabs versus other kinds of Arab?

[eyl]

2. From today's Ma'ariv

(I couldn't find a link, but it would be Hebrew-only in any event)

Referring to a poll in Israel, by the Dahaf Institute:

In response to the question: "who did you want to win the second Lebanon War?", 27% of the Arabs polled responded that they supported Israel during the war and desired her victory, 36% supported neither side, and 18% openly said they hoped Nasrallah would win.
The poll also reveals that most of Israel's Arab citizens do not believe their representatives in the Knesset are faithfully representing them. According to the poll, 44% of the polled believe the Arab MKs do not represent them at all, 28% said the Arab MKs represent them to a small degree, and only 20% believed that the representatives of the Arab population in the Knesset were highly representative of them

[Igel]

4. But not all Arabs pray the same--and not all pray.

I wonder if the Xian Arabs have a pov different from Sunnis (and whatever other denomination of Arab is common enough in Israel), and if there's a secular/observant break-down in support.

[eyl]

5. Actually, I was agreeing with you

or at least with the point I think you're trying to make.

The Israeli Arab support of Nasrallah is not as large as the interviews you mentioned would have you think.

It would be interesting to see if there's a religious-affiliation correspondance to the results, but I don't think such a study exists.

[pelsar]

3. Haifa Arabs...

In Maariv a couple of weeks ago, after the start of the missle strikes on Haifa, several said they could join the IDF they would (these were older folks). It wasnt a poll or anything exact, just a couple of interviews.