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At the start of the second Intifada, the events of October 2000 shocked many by the murder of 13 Arabs, 12 citizens and one Occupied Territories resident. No prosecutions followed, a chilling reality that persists. As a result, fear and mistrust grow, instead of adopting the Or Commission's recommendations to diffuse them.
Established to investigate the October 2000 incidents, it gave Israel "a historic opportunity to redefine its attitude" to its Arab minority. Ten years later, nothing's changed. In fact, conditions are worse. "(I)n particular, we have seen an unprecedented deterioration in the attitude of the state toward (its) Arab citizens," more than ever since Israel's War of Independence treated them like a fifth column, an enemy to be routed and removed. Today that same attitude prevails.
Besides attacks on personal freedoms, authorities propose discriminatory laws, make racist statements publicly, exert force lawlessly, and most recently want Arabs to declare loyalty to "a Zionist, Jewish and democratic state," tarnishing or even made to renounce their own heritage in the process.
Moreover, since October 2000, "dozens of Arab citizens have been killed by the security forces." Rarely is anyone held accountable, at most offenders given "light penalties that do not reflect the gravity" of their crimes.
Democracies afford equal rights and protections to all its citizens, none excluded for any reason, the true test shown by how minorities are treated. Instead, since inception, Israeli Arabs "have faced systematic and institutionalized discrimination" and repression.
Importantly, as recognized by the Or Commission, not only do Arab citizens constitute a large minority, they represent an indigenous people with longstanding roots before Israel's establishment. As distinct from immigrants, they "bear a stronger affinity" to their historic homeland, international law recognizing their right to equality in all respects.
Yet an extremist Knesset demands "No citizenship without (pledged) loyalty," what no real democracy requires or enacts repressive measures against any of its citizens. Yet hardline Israelis believe Arab rights depend "on (the) condition that they abandon their national identity, culture, language, and historical heritage, and declare their 'loyalty' to values they do not share."
No "loyalty," no rights, they believe, including examples reflecting tyranny, not democracy, such as denying:
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