The Knesset marked its first-ever Arabic language Day, which saw Arab and even a few Jewish lawmakers speak in the plenum in Arabic with simultaneous translation into Hebrew, and committee meetings dedicated to the use of Arabic in the public sphere. I didn’t need a translation: I gave a speech in Arabic (watch it here!)
My Speech in the Arabic language Day, in the Knesset
I told in my speech, that as a student, I had to choose a second subject beside my journalism studies, and I chose Arabic.
The lady in the university who signed me in asked me “Why don’t you study a ‘normal’ language as French, Spanish or German?”. I had to remind her that we lives in the Middle east, and Arabic is spoken in all the countries surrounds Israel.
The last time the region’s most common language was translated into Hebrew for Israeli lawmakers was in 1977, when former Egyptian president Anwar Sadat came to Jerusalem to offer peace.
Two weeks ago, the pupils of Henrietta Sold elementary school were surprised to find a substitute teacher in the class room, instead of their Arabic teacher. I was glad to meet wonderful curious students, who love the Arabic language and understand how important it is to us, citizens of the Middle East.
It is not just the language of our neighbors, it is the language of many Israelis, and the language of the parents and grandparents of many of us who came from Arabic countries.
I told them that Arabic is the fifth most common language in the world and is spoken by 300 million people worldwide, and in the 11Th century was the most spoken language in the world. I taught them an important proverb, which is still of current interest and which might serve them in the future: “alsaber kher”, meaning: “patience pays off”.
The Arabic language is an official language in Israel. This rich and beautiful language is pushed aside in Israel. The government, especially the Ministry of Education, which is entrusted with designing the next generation, must strive for coexistence and to strengthen the status of Arabic as an official language, for the benefit of the next generations. We must know the language and the culture of the neighborhood and of many of our parents.
The lesson was organized in cooperation with the “Ya Salam” program of the Abraham Fund to mark the Arabic Language Day in the Knesset.
Teaching Arabic in elementary school in Jerusalem
Can a policeman beat an innocent citizen in a democratic state, a state of law, and not be punished?
I demanded from the Police Investigation Department to investigate the assault of an Arab supermarket worker in Tel Aviv.
Photos from the scene leaves no room for imagination and speculation.
It seems that we are too forgiving of police violence: against Arabs, against Israelis of Ethiopian or Russian origin. In all cases, despite the fact that the violence is carried out by the police, it is a hate crime. Against weak, against different.
A year has passed since disabled Margarita Shulman was brutally attacked by policemen, two months ago an Ethiopian soldier was beaten, and yesterday in Tel Aviv a supermarket worker was attacked cruelly only because of his Arab accent.
I am accompanying Margarita Shulman since the incident. An year has passed, but the police still does not bother to investigate.
This week I invited Margarita to the Knesset, to a discussion regarding police violence, where we asked these tough and important questions.
The law is one for all. The law must protect civilians – not hurt them for no reason. I will continue to act against police violence.
The recent activity of the parliamentary caucus for freedom of speech and freedom of press
Before I was elected to the Knesset, I was a journalist and an Middle East analyst. Actually, I dreamy of becoming a journalist since I was child in the USSR, and even now, being elected to the Knesset, in some way, I never stopped being a journalist.
I chose to establish the caucus for freedom of speech and freedom of press
not only because of my professional background, but also because these are essentials of a democracy.
The public has the right to know what their political and military leaders, who work for them, are doing.
I wrote a legislative bill which would enshrine the freedom of speech in the Israeli law, but, unfortunately, the government objected, and the bill didn’t pass.
I promise to try again.
I initiated a discussion in the Security and Foreign Affairs Committee to investigate some cases of abusing journalists at the occupied territories in the West Bank by the IDF. My conclusions from this discussion was that the IDF high ranked officers are aware of these issues. Their job is to pass their knowledge and the understanding of the situation to their soldiers
Read more:
“The Jerusalem Post”, February 2, 2016
Did Netanyhu receive a 1 million euro donation?
I demanded from the Israeli Attorney General and the State Comptroller to start an investigation about French tycoon Arnaud Mimran’s declaration at the French court about giving Benjamin Netanyahu 1 million Euro for his election campaign.
If Mimran’s testimony is true, I wrote in my request, it would constitute a rude violation of the integrity expected of an elected representative, in particular of the office of prime minister. The smell of corruption is wafting far and wide. The State Comptroller has ruled, as Netanyahu and his lawyers know very well, that it is illegal to raise more than 11,480 NIS, (3,000$) from a single donor for a Knesset run and more than 45,880 NIS (12,000$) for a primaries Likud campaign.
If there is a suspicion of criminal acts, the prime minister should suspend himself for the duration of the proceedings.
Read more:
“HaHartz”, May 20, 2016
“The Times Of Israel”, May 26, 2016
Undivided Jerusalem?
On Sunday we will mark 49 years since the Six-Day War. We will hear more than once phrase “undivided Jerusalem”. Is this phrase true?
During the Six-Day War, the IDF captured the surrounding area of Jerusalem which was under Jordanian control. In addition to the Western Wall and Mount of Olives, which are holy for the Jewish religion, IDF captured many Arab neighborhood. Not long after the war, all these neighborhoods became part of the municipality of Jerusalem, and since then many right wingers speak about “undivided Jerusalem”.
Are these Arab neighborhoods, like Silwan, Issawiya, Zur Bahr etc., a part of Jerusalem? Do they want to be a part of the Israeli capital city?
Well, the answer is no!
Even the Israeli authorities and the municipality of Jerusalem do not treat this Arab villages and neighborhoods as part of Jerusalem.
Their budget is very humble compared to Jewish neighborhoods, and there is no public transportation and investments in Infrastructure in those neighborhoods.
During the last few months, there were many terrorist acts in Israel, committed by Palestinians. Most of the terrorists came from those neighborhoods, which Netanyahu and his partners consider as part of Jerusalem.
The Zionist Union is willing to keep the security without populism. We know that in order to keep the security in Jerusalem, it most be divided.
On Sunday, some right wing movements plan to march with thousands of people in the Muslim quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, as they do every year. But this year, the celebration of Jerusalem Reunion Day is at the same day as the first day of Ramadan, and the marchers are supposed to pass in the same streets where thousands of Muslims will march on their way to Al-Aqsa mosque.
I demanded from the Minister of Public Security to not let the right wings movements to march there, in order to keep the security and to avoid unnecessary losses from both sides.
I am glad to tell you that it has been decided to conduct the march at the Jewish Quarter
Does the world have a role in solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
On April, I spoke at the J-Street Conference in Washington DC about the peace process between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
I said there that the peace process entirely depends on us and the Palestinians. No one else will be there. The essence has to be ours. Israelis and Palestinians cannot rely on others, but only on themselves to wage peace.
According to the outlook of J-Street, with which I completely agree, supporting Israel does not mean supporting the Israeli government and its policy blindly. Sometimes a progressive criticism of Israel can show the country the right direction.
Many of our Jewish sisters and brothers around the world, as well as many friends of Israel, define themselves as unconditionally “pro-Israel”. However, I am afraid these people are actually playing against us. By giving Israel their full support, they loose the power of self reflection and criticism, which are so crucial when it comes to creating our existence and future. These so called friends of Israel operate against the Israeli interest and destroy our chance for peace. In their support they give our current government complete freedom to do whatever it wants, which is to continue the occupation in the West Bank and to expand the settlements in a way that create a real obstacle to peace.
A real support for Israel, in my opinion, is to direct our government into doing the right thing: go back to the negation table and end the conflict using the two state solution, which is the only way to keep Israel a Jewish and a democratic state.
This vision is the reason why I see this role as an important mission. I believe it holds the only right and just way to support Israel and the Israelis.
At the J-Street Conference
