(New York Times) Yoav Gallant - Israel's Arab minority accounts for 1.7 million of our more than eight million citizens. We must preserve the rights and freedoms of an open democracy, and maintain the atmosphere of respect and tolerance necessary for a diverse and pluralistic society. This involves the recognition that the fates of our land's Jewish inhabitants and its Arab ones are deeply intertwined. At this critical moment, we have to carry out a strategic plan to fight crime and poverty among Israel's Arab population and build the community's social and economic institutions. We are planning to build a new state-of-the-art Arab city in Israel's north; named Jadeidi-Makr, it will be home to 45,000 people. Jews and Arabs have lived together in our land for many centuries, and will continue to do so for generations to come. It is our duty to accept this reality by nurturing a culture and a country where both peoples can thrive. IDF Maj.-Gen. (ret.) Yoav Gallant is Israel's minister of housing and construction.
2016-01-22 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive