Comments on: Canada Lets Separatists Run

By: themiddle

themiddle — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 01:04:56 +0000

Well, Texas Jew, they did also restrict Kahane’s party from running.

By: Texas Jew

Texas Jew — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:30:07 +0000

“The only Democracy in the middle east” strikes again.

By: Mordechai Luchins

Mordechai Luchins — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:53:32 +0000

As someone who’s spent the last three weeks explaining over and over that Israel is not a Theocracy and that Zionism is not Racism, nor does the mandate for Israel call for an Ethnically Pure State, this makes me physically ill.

As Mr. Steg cites, why aren’t we prosecuting individuals instead of parties? Should we be investigating all of Kadima because of the allegations about Olmert?

Also, and maybe it’s just me not getting this, how is it possible for someone to serve in a government, but not recognize it exists at the same time?

By: themiddle

themiddle — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:24:35 +0000

I’d invite you, but then you’d lose that sense of, uh, mystery.

By: Tom Morrissey

Tom Morrissey — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 10:24:22 +0000

Dude, someone invite me and I’ll visit. Hell, I haven’t gotten so much as a seder invitation out of all my heavy lifting on this site. I’ll behave myself, I promise.

By: Ben-David

Ben-David — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:29:42 +0000

Morrissey –
1) Don’t assume that all – or even most – Israeli Arabs vote for these parties. There’s a nice Arab bloc well settled in the Labor party, for instance.

2) Could you cite some examples of how Israeli Arabs are “discriminated against”?

Considering the still-open wounds, I think they have a pretty sweet deal.

Have you ever visited here?

Both my son and my brother-in-law were treated in Israeli hospitals by Arab doctors. No glass ceilings. No apartheid. No institutional discrimination.

Yes there is creeping radicalization – because, as we’ve already seen, the Arab world has interpreted Oslo as weakness.

By: themiddle

themiddle — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:37:02 +0000

Well, first of all, I disagree with this decision. It’s a mistake.

However, I understand it. I’m not claiming that Arab citizens are launching rockets against Israel but rather that these two parties have been involved in activities that openly support Israel’s enemies in times of war. If this is true, they have no place at the seat of government because the role of a government is to act in the best interests of the state and the people. Supporting enemies who seek to destroy the state would appear to play an opposite role.

The borader answer to your question, Tom, is that I’d rather not exclude these parties.

By: Tom Morrissey

Tom Morrissey — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:20:03 +0000

Maybe I’m mistaking Middle, but I assume he’s not claiming that Arab citizens of Israel are launching rockets against it. But even if the Arab parties at issue are as seditious as Middle suggests, the best approach to them is to keep them within the democratic system. If Basque separatists or the Tamil Tigers pledged to beoome parliamentary parties, this would be good, not bad news, right?

By: themiddle

themiddle — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:10:54 +0000

When the Israeli Supreme Court turned over a similar law a few years ago, they did say that this type of censure was permitted if the political parties in question tangibly aided or attempted to aid enemies in conducting war against Israel.

There are some compelling arguments to be made that these two parties (and note that we’re not talking about all Arab parties or Arab MKs) which are on the receiving end of this action have indeed crossed over that line. One of their former leaders continues to live in self-imposed exile outside of Israel after having apparently assisted Hizbollah even beyond his positive and supportive public appearances on their behalf in the last war.

Maybe the difference with Canada is that Canada hasn’t had to send its sons, husbands and fathers every several years to war, risking their lives and limbs. Maybe if the Separtist movement was launching rockets, suicide bombers and armies at the rest of Canada and Canada found itself naturally preparing for the next attack or the next conflict, then the Canadian Parliament would be less charitable towards the Parti Quebecois.

You ain’t comparing apples to apples.

It’s interesting that there was wide support among the MKs for this legislation and many in the center and center-left supported it.

By: Tom Morrissey

Tom Morrissey — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:04:59 +0000

On a practical level, if you’ve got a substantial minority that feels alienated already and is in fact discriminated against, why formally disenfranchise them? How does this enhance the state’s security? Doesn’t it do the opposite?

Are Arabs the only citizens of Israel who wish to see a secular republic?