Despite what the Arab Higher Monitor Committee would have you believe with its decision to organize protests against Israel's "racism" and "apartheid," ever since 2009, the right-wing governments of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have led to unprecedented advancements in the quality of life of the country's non-Jewish citizens. This important process is still in full swing. That is a fact.
The urban legend that holds that sewage flows freely through the streets of Arab towns and cities has long been a lie. While it is true that in the past, outdated cesspools typical of the unplanned construction common in the Arab sector did not contain the sewage, by the 18th Knesset, which governed from 2009 to 2013, the sewage infrastructure in the sector had been replaced, thanks to unprecedented government funding and loans.
Once the new sewage infrastructure was set up, sidewalks, traffic circles and vegetation were quick to follow. All Israeli citizens have a right to the infrastructure their communities require. Yes, up until the last decade, the state was to blame for the neglect of the Arab communities, but so too were the Arab community leaders, who for their own reasons, chose not to collect property and water taxes from their constituents.
In May, Israeli financial daily The Marker interviewed the recently retired head of the Administration for the Economic Development of the Arab, Druze and Circassian sectors Aiman Saif in a piece headlined "Bibi [Netanyahu] is good for Arabs." In the interview, this senior Arab official spoke of Netanyahu's work to increase the state budget for the Arab sector. He lauded the government's 2015 decision to allocate between 12 billion and 15 billion shekels [$3.3 billion to $4.1 billion] to Arab communities. While Saif did note that many in the Arab sector were uncomfortable with what they said were offensive comments from members of Israel's coalition government, including from Netanyahu, Saif said that at the end of the day, he left his position "with a deep sense of satisfaction that here, the government is acting to integrate Israeli Arabs [into society]."
One need only look at the numbers to understand the vast efforts to bring about civil equality: The government has allocated 350 million shekels ($96 million) toward assisting weak students, with a comparable amount going toward the Druze sector, which as a result now has the highest matriculation rate in Israel. In Arab communities, the matriculation rate has increased from 57% in 2015 to 65.9% in 2017. A decade ago, there were very few community centers in Arab communities; now, there are dozens. Also a decade ago, billions of shekels were allocated toward multiyear plans for the development of Arab Bedouin, Druze and Circassian communities, and billions more were allocated for the economic and business development of those sectors, including to improve transportation and roads as well as create tourist infrastructure. All of this information can be found online. All one needs to do is look and more importantly, want to see it.
Israel is in the midst of a sweeping and natural process of integrating young Arabs into Israeli society; in hospitals and pharmacies, the information technology sector, academia and in our courts and government offices.
One can understand why the Arab Higher Monitoring Committee would want to conceal the truth. Those who accuse Israel of apartheid naturally fear that once exposed, the truth will prove their allegations as at best empty at and at worst incitement. What is difficult to understand is why, alongside the enactment of the nation-state law, the government has not published the data on the realization of civil equality in the Arab sector.
