Israeli minister to Arab MK: your national rights can be attained elsewhere

Israeli justice minister Ayelet Shaked blasted a proposal by Joint List parliamentarian Jamal Zahalka to recognise Palestinian citizens as a national minority.

Speaking in the Knesset, Shaked claimed that the proposed legislation “wishes to innovate a new constitutional hierarchy in which the Arab citizens of Israel will have a collective national veto right over decisions by state institutions.”

Palestinians constitute around 20 per cent of Israeli citizens, and face systematic discrimination in land rights, housing, welfare, education, political expression and more.

Shaked attacked Zahalka’s proposal on the basis that it “speaks of democracy and intentionally omits Israel’s status as a Jewish state.”

Speaking directly to Palestinian MKs, Shaked said: “[David] Ben Gurion [Israel’s first prime minister] would turn over in his grave (if he knew of this law)…You are confused. This will never happen. The national definition of the State of Israel is the one and only state of the Jewish nation.”

Shaked continued:

“National rights for Arab minorities can be attained in our neighbouring Arab countries. Whoever wishes to realise his national rights as an Arab is invited to leave to these countries. I can’t promise that he will be continue to enjoy the conditions he receives in our villa.”

According to the report, Zahalka responded: “I didn’t think that the justice minister would tell me to leave the country as if she is the master and we are her slaves. We are citizens and will fight for full citizenship and for our full rights despite the efforts of racists and fascists like Shaked.”