Distorting Israeli Arab Reality

HonestReporting.com published an excellent Communique today Distorting Israeli Arab Reality, refuting often-heard claims in AFP, LA Times and Christian Science Monitor that Israeli Arabs are

1. treated as "second class citizens",
2. as a "fifth column", and
3. suffer from discrimination like African-Americans did in the US in the 1950s

The refutation includes

• While Arab Israelis are not required to serve in the IDF, many (especially from the Druze and Bedouin communities) proudly volunteer to do so, and have served with great distinction.
• a recent study indicated that the number of Arab volunteers to the IDF ― including Muslim Arabs ― is growing.
• Though the government of Israel has officially recognized some policy shortcomings toward its Arab minority, it's ludicrous to compare that to the discrimination suffered by African-Americans during that period in American history.
• As opposed to the U.S., the foundational document of the State of Israel upheld the principle of civil equality ― despite the fact it was drafted during a state of war with surrounding Arabs:
  "[The State of Israel] will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex... We appeal, in the very midst of the onslaught launched against us now for months - to the Arab inhabitants of the State of Israel to preserve peace and participate in the building of the State on the basis of full and equal citizenship and due representation in all its provisional and permanent institutions. (Israeli Declaration of Independence, 1948)
• Eleven Israeli Arabs currently serve in Israel's Knesset, including two in the dominant Likud party.
• An Arab Justice, Salim Joubran, holds a seat on the Israeli Supreme Court.
• The Israeli government is currently implementing a 4-year, 4 billion shekel plan to develop infrastructures in the Arab sector.
• Israeli Arabs attend and lecture in every Israeli university. In fact, prominent Arab Israeli academics such as Sari Nusseibeh were outspoken against the recent boycott of Israeli universities by the UK's Association of University Teachers.
• Even diplomatic positions are open to Israeli Arabs, who have held key posts in Atlanta (Consul-General), South America, Finland (Ambassador) and elsewhere.
• Israeli Arabs consistently state that they'd prefer to remain in Israel rather than join a future Palestinian state. A May 2001 survey found that just 30 percent of Israel's Arab population would agree to the Galilee Triangle being annexed to a future Palestinian state. By February 2004, according to the Haifa-based Arab Center for Applied Social Research, that figure had reached 90 percent preferring to remain in Israel.

Go to the full article for detail.