(Ha'aretz) Moshe Arens - The Arab world for the past decades has alternated between the ruthless rule of dictators and seemingly endless bloodshed. In recent years many have fled to Europe. Christians and other religious minorities have faced massacres. Israel's Arabs, both Muslim and Christian, are the exception. They have had the opportunity to live in a democratic society and to enjoy the benefits of the rule of law, the opportunities that a modern nation-state offers its citizens, and the norms of a Western society, including sexual equality. They would prefer to be the majority, but being a minority in a democratic state is commonplace around the world and is not a tragedy. Within Israel's Arab community there is a struggle between those who insist on rejecting everything Israel stands for and supporting its enemies, and those who want to integrate into Israeli society and take advantage of the opportunities it offers. Will Israel's Arabs join the modern world, or will they be pushed back into the medieval way of life that prevails in much of the Arab world? Many Israeli Arabs are voting with their feet. Some are professionals, who work in Israeli hospitals, in large law or accounting firms or in business. And each year, growing numbers of young Arabs volunteer for national service and join the ranks of Israel's military and police. The writer served as Israel's Minister of Defense three times and once as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
2017-09-19 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive