The establishment of an Arab affairs committee in the Knesset at a time when positive dialogue on the legitimacy and integration of Arab voices is on the rise is reminiscent of the days of Marshall Law, and more than anything else, the rule of Mapai and its Arab satellite parties. In those days, a committee for Arab affairs was established for every issue that concerned Israel's Arab citizens, and the role of adviser for Arab affairs – at the Defense, Education, and Housing Ministries, and even the Israel Police – was established.
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A parliamentary committee focusing on issues pertaining to Arab society should theoretically benefit the Arab sector, but the decision by Likud MK Miki Zohar, made as part of an agreement with the Islamic Movement, is a mistake. With no authority, according to what has been reported in the press so far, no operational significance, this committee to a large extent goes against the new and pragmatic course adopted by Ra'am head Mansour Abbas. Taking into account current political circumstances, the committee appears aimed at accomplishing nothing beyond bolstering Abbas' position for the Likud. Despite their pragmatism and political sophistication, it appears Abbas and the Islamic Movement will not be part of a future government: the religious Zionist Right opposes it, and the Left can't do anything about it.
Those who purport to represent the interests of the Arab public should make an effort to deal with crime, allocate additional budgets and resources, expand jurisdiction, and work to further integrate young Arab Israelis in the service of the state. A parliamentary committee isn't necessarily the right tool to this end. In order to resolve these issues and not just create public awareness of them, the focus must be on setting out, leading, and implementing policies that can do just that.
But the problem is more principled than that. Parliamentary work at its very essence should merge the representatives and interests of all the state's citizens instead of reproducing societal divisions within the Knesset. The Arab public is thirsty for integration into the country and its institutions, and this integration should start in the Knesset, which reflects the mosaic that is Israeli society. A special committee focusing on Arab society will only exacerbate the labeling of Arabs as a "separate sector" whose problems are unique and unrelated to those of broader Israeli society.
This committee appears aimed solely at laying the groundwork for a government ministry for "Arab affairs." That's a big mistake because here, too, we must not divide the national agenda into issues that pertain to Arabs and everything else. All the important and sensitive issues pertaining to Arab society are expressed in the mission of every single government ministry - whether that be housing, finance, education, or others - and do not require the appointment of another minister to this end.
A democratic country should represent all of its citizens, and its institutions should reflect and serve the general good. Separating Arab society's problems into a separate committee is contrary to the trend of integration and could even serve as another roadblock to progress.
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