Arab Racism and the 'Jewish State'

[Valin]

Gatestone Institute

Khaled Abu Toameh
January 13, 2022

Palestinians and other Arabs are furious because Mansour Abbas -- an Arab member of Israel's parliament, the Knesset, and head of the United List Party -- announced that he recognizes Israel as a Jewish state.

Abbas is being denounced as a "traitor" and "Zionist" by many Palestinians and Arabs who define their countries and political systems as "Arab" or "Islamic." They claim that the idea of a Jewish state is "racist" but seem not to feel the same way about openly Islamic states: The Islamic Republic of Iran, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania

If the Palestinians, as well as Arab and Islamic countries, are labelling Israel as racist because it wants to define itself as a Jewish state, then they too are racists because they insist on defining themselves as "Arabs" and "Muslims."

Mansour Abbas should receive commendation for his public recognition of Israel as a Jewish state; instead, he has received threats. These are coming from the many Palestinians and Arabs who will never accept Israel's existence or its classification as a Jewish state.

"Israel was born as a Jewish state, that was the decision of the people, and it will remain a Jewish state," Abbas said.

(Snip)