The Arab Minority

One of the most important principles in a democracy is to protect the minority against the tyranny of the majority. A democratic state is by nature pluralistic and respectful of diversity among its citizens, and enables each group within its population that so wishes to maintain all the components of its own identity, including its heritage, culture, and national identity. In a democracy, every minority group has the right to express its own narrative concerning the past and its own vision of the future, even if these differ from or challenge the narratives of the majority. A democracy does not condition citizens’ rights on declarations of agreement or “loyalty” to certain ideas and opinions. All the above are basic principles of substantive democracy.

Introduction: A decade after the events of October 2000: Time to erase the blemish

One of the most important principles in a democracy is to protect the minority against the tyranny of the majority. A democratic state is by nature pluralistic and respectful of diversity among its citizens, and enables each group within its population that so wishes to maintain all the components of its own identity, including its heritage, culture, and national identity. In a democracy, every minority group has the right to express its own narrative concerning the past and its own vision of the future, even if these differ from or challenge the narratives of the majority. A democracy does not condition citizens’ rights on declarations of agreement or “loyalty” to certain ideas and opinions. All the above are basic principles of substantive democracy.

The attitude of the State of Israel toward Arab citizens contradicts these democratic principles. Many Jewish citizens and many of their elected representatives believe that Arab citizens of Israel are entitled to equality and to protection of their rights only on condition that they abandon their national identity, culture, language, and historical heritage, and declare their “loyalty” to values they do not share.

The events of October 2000, exactly one decade ago, were a particularly sharp and painful manifestation of the complex relationship between the State of Israel and the Arab minority that lives in this country. During these events, 13 Arabs were killed, including 12 Israeli citizens and one resident of the Occupied Territories. None of the policemen involved in these events has been prosecuted. This reality created a grave sense among Arab citizens that they could be injured with impunity, seriously damaging the already fragile trust between the Arab minority and the state. These events are a chilling illustration of the possible outcomes of ongoing discrimination and injury to a minority group. October 2000 added a new layer of pain, offense, and mistrust to the relations between the state and the Arab minority, leaving an open wound that has yet to heal. From the standpoint of the Arab public, the lesson of October 2000 was that the state will not hesitate to employ lethal violence against its Arab citizens if they fail to act in accordance with its policies.

The investigation of the events of October 2000 by the Ministry of Justice’s Police Investigation Department (PID) was marred by grave defects. Justice was not done, and no-one was called to account for their actions. The failure to prosecute those responsible for the killing of the Arab citizens exacerbates the mistrust that dominates the relationship between the Arab minority and the state; impairs the status of the Arab minority and leads to a negligent attitude to Arab lives; weakens the rule of law in the State of Israel; delegitimizes protests; and constitutes a blemish that will continue to mar Israeli democracy.

The Or Commission, a state commission of inquiry, was established to investigate the events of October 2000. The commission’s recommendations offered the state a historic opportunity to redefine its attitude to the Arab minority that lives in Israel; to acknowledge the needs and rights of this minority; to repair injured trust; and to correct the course of the relationship with the Arab minority. Ten years after these events, however, the State of Israel does not seem to have internalized the commission’s conclusions, since its attitude toward the Arab minority has only worsened.

Over the past two years, in particular, we have seen an unprecedented deterioration in the attitude of the state toward the Arab citizens. This has been manifested in discriminatory proposed laws; attacks on freedom of expression and political activity; racist statements by public figures; a hostile approach by the police and the law enforcement bodies; policy based mainly on force; and ongoing discrimination against the Arab public in the allocation of budgets and resources. Alongside these attacks, as growing attempt is being made to force Arab citizens to meet inherently antidemocratic tests of “loyalty.” Since October 2000, dozens of Arab citizens have been killed by the security forces. In most cases, those responsible have not been prosecuted; in a minority of cases, offenders have received relatively light penalties that do not reflect the gravity of their actions or proper respect for the sanctity of human life. These developments further jeopardize the chance of building trust between the state and the Arab minority, leading instead to deterioration, extremism, and pessimism.