Tibi: Lieberman is an immigrant who's racist against the native Arabs

[Donald Ian Rankin]

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/tibi-lieberman-is-an-immigrant-who-s-racist-against-the-native-arabs-1.291706

In an in-depth interview with the Los Angeles Times, Israeli Arab MK Ahmed Tibi criticized Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, saying that as opposed to late Austrian extremist Jorg Haider, who was "an indigenous politician who was racist against foreigners," Lieberman is an "immigrant politician who is racist against the indigenous people...."

(snip)

Tibi lamented the fact that only 6% of Israel's public servants are Arab, and that there are no influential Arab officials in the Israeli government. Regarding the "loyalty oath" bill, a bill initiated by Lieberman's party requiring public figures to swear allegiance to Israel as a Jewish state, Tibi said that "We are described as betrayers. But I can't betray something I'm not part of. I'm not part of the army. I'm not part of the Zionist ideology. I'm a victim of Zionism.... It's inhumane to demand that we be loyal to Zionism or accept Israel as a Jewish state. I can't accept a definition that strengthens the discrimination against non-Jews in Israel."

(snip)

The Israeli Arab MK added that the Israel Lands Authority, which controls most of the land in Israel, allows land to be sold or rented only to Jews, not to Arabs. "Non-Jews are not allowed. And we are talking about land that was ours in the past and confiscated. In the early 1950s, we owned 80% of the private land. Now we own 3% of the private land."

Tibi was asked whether he accepts Israel as a Jewish state, to which he replied that "I want it to be a state of its own nationalities, and the Arab minority to be recognized as a national minority. Israel is, according to the law, defined as a Jewish and democratic state. But there is a contradiction between the two values. If you are democratic, you should believe in equality. But if you define the nation by a Jewish ethnicity, you are saying any Jewish person is superior to a non-Jewish person."

(I've posted what I think are the most interesting and cogent four paragraphs, there are another two at the link well worth reading).

[LeftishBrit]

1. I agree with him about Lieberman

As a second-generation immigrant and strong opponent of British anti-immigrant bigotry (which is far more prevalent here than antisemitism), I still feel that it is particularly outrageous for an immigrant to come to a new country, and then use his new citizenship as a platform to try to kick out existing citizens.

'Jewish state' properly means a place of refuge for Jews, and does not imply any superiority for Jews. However, Lieberman has IMO shamefully abused his 'right of return'.

He should have no place in government, any more than Haider, Griffin or LePen; and I will gloat if he ends up in jail, which is looking increasingly possible!