"For those of us who live here, it is something we take for granted. But visitors from abroad cannot believe their eyes."
Under the guise of the deceptively mundane name "Amendment to the Cooperative Associations Bill," the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee of the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) has finalized a bill intended to bypass previous rulings of the Israeli High Court of Justice. If this legislation is approved by the Knesset plenum, it will not be possible to describe it as anything other than an apartheid law.
If it becomes law, the amendment will give the "acceptance committees" of communal villages the authority to limit residence in their towns exclusively to Jews.
Using polished and sanitized language, the bill would allow such committees in small rural suburbs to reject applications from families that "are incompatible with the social-cultural fabric of the community, and where there are grounds to assume that they will disrupt this fabric."
The segregation of Jews and Arabs in Israel of 2010 is almost absolute. For those of us who live here, it is something we take for granted. But visitors from abroad cannot believe their eyes: segregated education, segregated businesses, separate entertainment venues, different languages, separate political parties ... and of course, segregated housing… Such separation only contributes to the growing mutual alienation of Jews and Arabs.
Several courageous attempts - particularly in mixed cities and regions - have been made to change the situation, bridge the rifts and promote integration. These range from efforts to develop mixed educational frameworks, to joint economic ventures and other interventions intended to foster good neighbourly relations based on equal opportunity. Until now, these attempts addressed a situation of de facto segregation. From today, however, such segregation will be fully enforced by the law of the land, to the shame of Israel.
Adapted from "Segregation of Jews and Arabs in 2010 Israel is almost absolute", written by Amnon Be'eri Sulitzeanu, the co-executive director of the Abraham Fund Initiatives, which promotes coexistence and equality for Israeli Jews and Arabs. Published by Ha’aretz on Oct. 29, 2010. See full text at: www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/segregation-of-jews-and-arabs-in-2...
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