The notion of equality
is imprinted in our hearts since the beginning of Jewish history. All the
factions of the Zionist movement adopted equality as an educational
cornerstone. However, equality is an aspiration rather than an image of
our existence. History illustrates the futility of trying to compel
equality through force (the Soviet Union) or ideals (the Kibbutz
movement). Equality can only be achieved within the boundaries of
groups that form naturally (“same essential categories” as cited by Prof.
Chaim Perelman of Brussels University).
While Arabs are entitled
to full equality in civic and cultural matters, this is not the case where
nationalistic matters are concerned. The evident inequality existing
between Jews and Arabs in Israel is a manifestation of their belonging to
two different “essential categories”, divided along nationalistic lines.
Jews aspire to build the Jewish state in Israel, while the Arabs voted
against it in 1947 (and physically fought for its destruction). Israeli
Arabs nationalistically share the dreams and aspirations of their
Palestinian brothers – and partake in the Palestinian struggle to destroy
Israel, using violence and politics as weapons.
Two essential
conclusions are presented in this article:
-
The conflict of
national interests between Jews and Arabs in Israel necessitates the
denial of their right to vote in the Knesset on certain key issues
(perhaps, allowing them to express such conflicting aspirations in the
Palestinian parliament);
- Democracies recognize the
need for corrective discrimination in order to promote equality.
Therefore, Israel being a Jewish state, and a minority among Arab states
that strive for its destruction – the Supreme Court must recognize the
corrective discrimination rights of Jews in Israel on such issues as
“the right of return” and the right to settle in Jewish-only
communities.
