Israel to become a "consensual democracy for both Arabs and Jews"?

Dr Wall commented: "Israeli Arabs make up a fifth of Israel's population. Yet Arab parties hold only 10 seats in the 120-seat Parliament.

"Clearly, there is an urgent need for a change in the character and definition of the state, whether to become a "state for all its citizens," a binational state, or a consensual democracy.

"There are some 1.3 million Arab citizens of the country - just under 20% of the population. Around 80% are Muslims; the rest divide almost equally between Christians and Druze.


Today in a Green Party capacity I have been publicising calls for peace in Isreal/Palestine. More here.


Below I have posted a response from Tony Greenstein including an article he has noted from haaretz...can we achieve peace in Palestine/Israel, well its a very tall order but civil rights from all citizens in all areas is going to be necessary, whether one believes in one state, two states, functioning anarchy or whatever.

Debate on this is very welcome.

Any here are Tony's thoughts via a green left mailing alerted me to the civil liberties issue discussed above.


Any way on to his comments....I would like yours as well.


There has been 30+ years of 'peace making' but with no peace, as Israel seeks every excuse not to give ground. When the PLO amended their charter and recognised the Israeli State they were told there were no partners for peace. So it will continue with further roadmaps etc. The lack of suicide bombs in the past 9 months hasn't had any effect on daily harassment, road blocks, prisoners etc. The root cause is the nature of the Israeli state itself, its quest for racial purification. Below is an article taken from the main Israel daily newspaper, Ha'aretz on the struggle of one Arab family to live in a Jewish village. It is symptomatic of apartheid within Israel, but instead of Black and White there are 'suitability' tests etc.

If a Jewish couple was prohibited from settling anywhere in Britain it would rightly be considered anti-Semitic. The media would be all over it, warning for the return of anti-Semitism and ask how this, sixty years after WWII, could happen. But even in Israel itself non-Jewish citizens are victims of daily discrimination by a 'Jewish' state.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/825948.html

Israeli Arab couple petitions High Court after residency denied
By Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondent
An Israeli Arab couple petitioned the High Court of Justice this week, asking it to issue a temporary injunction that would allow them to live in the predominately Jewish town of Rakefet.
The couple, residents of Sakhnin, said they were denied residency in the town because they are Arab, but say that local authorities in Rakefet and officials at the Israel Lands Authority found an alternative way to keep them from moving into the town: By stating that according to a "suitability test," the couple are "not fit to live in the town."
The couple is being represented by Adalah, a non-profit organization which fights discrimination against Israeli Arabs. According to the organization, the couple was refused permission to settle in the town because they are Arabs. More here from haaretz