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Remove Israel from the Map

(Gatestone Institute) Khaled Abu Toameh - The Saudi MBC TV network was recently forced to apologize after viewers strongly condemned the network for using a map with the name Israel instead of Palestine. Israel appeared on MBC's map because of the participation of two Arab citizens of Israel in its popular Arab Idol contest, the most widely viewed show in the Arab world. It was the first time Arab Israelis participated in the show. The uproar over the map is yet another reminder that many Arabs still have not come to terms with Israel's existence. This refusal is related to the narrative that has been prevalent in the Arab world since 1948 - a narrative that considers Israel an alien entity that was violently planted in the Middle East and needs to be removed. Given the sentiments on the Arab street, how can anyone seriously expect that Arab leaders will be able to win the backing of their people for any initiative that talks about "establishing normal relations" with Israel? And how can anyone seriously expect that if Israel pulled back to the pre-1967 lines, the Arab world will consider the Israeli-Arab conflict over? The protesters who forced MBC to remove Israel from its map were not demanding a two-state solution and an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza. They were protesting against Israel's existence; that is what really bothers them.
2014-10-10 00:00:00
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