The US witnessed last night a nadir in its history when a prominent activist was assassinated purely for his views. This constituted an attack on free speech, on the capacity for discourse and hearing dissenting voices. Those incapable of countering his arguments opted to attack him. In the US – a symbol of the free world and Western democracy – one cannot accept circumstances where political-ideological debate culminates in murder.

Remarkable ability possessed by few globally

Kirk stood as a genuine friend of the State of Israel, a passionate advocate who decisively confronted pro-Palestinian activists, and with refined words, educated them thoroughly. His debates went viral online, and no one in the hasbara world (public diplomacy) could ignore his ability to make his case and the expertise he displayed.

He understood how to corner his opposition and guide them through planned maneuvers to leave them speechless. This represents a remarkable ability possessed by few globally. Additionally, he was a rhetorician brimming with style.

During the past two years, when the State of Israel's position hit bottom internationally, few worldwide stood with us proudly and powerfully, and Kirk ranked among the most prominent and significant of these. Specifically due to his standing and influence across the US, his backing carried tremendous meaning.

Currently, the pursuit continues for the attacker whose identity remains unknown, while everyone remains traumatized. I'm getting cancellation notices for event after event from my scheduled advocacy mission here.

It remains uncertain how the US will recover from this incident and its ultimate consequences, but clearly Kirk's assassination constitutes a defining moment. Each social advocate engaged in debates and ideological battles, particularly regarding Israeli advocacy, now faces genuine mortal danger.

A dark day for the US, and for Israel

Kirk was assassinated and became a casualty in his struggle for truth. He was assassinated there on stage with a microphone in hand while performing what he excelled at most. This marks a dark day in US history, but furthermore, it marks a dark day for the State of Israel which lost one of the finest and most genuine representatives it possessed, though he wasn't Israeli and though he wasn't Jewish.

During the past day, I've gotten inquiries from individuals asking whether Kirk's assassination will impact my mission and my advocacy efforts. So, yes, it will, since I hold numerous events similar to what took place at Utah Valley University, where he was shot, and thus I'll have to exercise far greater caution, verify security exists consistently, and remain vigilant and prepared constantly.

But will I halt due to this? Categorically no. One cannot fear confronting individuals who think differently and attempting dialogue while presenting them with facts. This is presumably what the attacker desired would occur. This is what the violent and antisemitic demonstrators would desire to occur. But if it were Kirk's decision, I'm certain he would request not to halt due to what occurred, but conversely, simply to persist and amplify.

May his memory be a blessing.

The post Israel advocates face deadly reality in post-October 7 America appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

We are already two and a half weeks into the war. It's a war on the ground, in Gaza, with a front also in the north. But in addition, it's a war for international public opinion – a war of perception.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

The terrorist organization Hamas uses psychological warfare and spreads propaganda. Just two weeks ago, we received broad international support that gave Israel some breathing room to act with full force to eliminate the terrorist organization, but as time has gone by the Palestinian propaganda managed to win hearts and minds along with the images from Gaza. This has resulted in a noticeable change in the world's posture toward us. It's a challenging battle of perception, but it's clear that Israel has faced a failure on this front.

It all started with the decision to shut down the Ministry of Information during the war. This is like a decision to close the Health Ministry during the COVID crisis. It reached its peak at the press conference with Yocheved Lifshitz, who had been released from Gaza this week. 

It is just unthinkable that a hostage that had just been released by Hamas would be allowed to be interviewed without first being briefed by someone on the communications aspect of it. It's unthinkable that someone would allow such a hostage to speak while her husband is still held captive by the very same terrorists. But this is exactly what happened on Tuesday, and this dealt a crushing blow to Israel's efforts to win over hearts and minds around the world. 

Every communications advisor knows that preparation is essential before an interview. The blame game among government officials only reflects a loss of direction regarding Israel's public relations, as there is no central entity managing the situation.

It's unclear whether at the higher levels, they underestimate Hamas's psychological warfare, or if it's just sheer neglect. It could also be a failure to understand the gravity of the situation. What's clear is that it's a serious public relations blunder, and Israel is paying a heavy price in terms of global public opinion.

Lifshitz's words about how well the captives were being treated were widely quoted by the international media. They play into Hamas' terrorist agenda and help it shape the narrative it wants, reducing the international pressure for the release of the captives.

Just yesterday, a few hours before the release of the two captives, foreign journalists came to a central base in Israel to watch a video prepared by an IDF spokesperson. The video showed 43 seconds of horrifying footage from the terrorists' cameras, showing the homes and kidnapped soldiers. I was there, and I saw the international journalists in shock, some with tears in their eyes, looking away from the screen to avoid the gory footage. 

The fact that less than a day later, the world is talking about the "humanity" shown by Hamas terrorists is a self-inflicted wound. Israel's luck is that many in the country are dedicated to public relations efforts and are doing this work on their own. I truly hope that those responsible on behalf of the government will wake up and begin doing their job. If not, at least they shouldn't interfere with those who have chosen to engage in the effort to help Israel win over the hearts and minds of the world.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post Israel's self-inflicted PR blunder boggles the mind appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Where I live – in the Arab city of Nazareth – shops don't close on the eve of Memorial Day; there are no ceremonies and cars don't pull over when the sirens blast. But still, Memorial Day is the most difficult day of the year for me. I think about the many friends I lost, brothers in arms, who died on Lebanese soil. I was severely wounded during the 2006 Second Lebanon War in the Battle of Bint Jbeil. 

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

I think about my friends on the battlefield who told the medics to go help others before treating them; I think about my commander, the hero Roi Klein, who just before he died a heroic death taught me the Talmudic proverb, "All of Israel are responsible for one another."

They say that the IDF is the greatest melting pot, and that is true. My service in the Golani Brigade shaped my identity as an Israeli and as an Arab. I got a lesson in what Israeli society is all about. My comrades and I sang together, regardless of our ethnicity; we learned about each other and introduced our cultures to one another. And no less important, we defended all Israelis – Arab and Jewish alike.

After all, we are all under the threat of terrorism, which does not discriminate. When I fought in Lebanon, Hezbollah fired missiles on my city, Nazareth, and killed innocent civilians, including a baby girl; Hamas' missiles during Operation Guardian of the Walls killed an Arab man and his daughter; in the most recent spate of attacks in Israel, an Arab Druze was killed as well as an Arab Christian police officer who ran toward the attacker.

Although non-Druze Arab Israelis are exempt from the draft, thousands choose to serve anyways. I met new Bedouin conscripts recently and saw them undergo their intense training. I could hear how they felt a deep bond to the country and feel proud in wearing uniform. Of course, there are radicals among us who oppose serving, including prominent Arab leaders, but there is a growing realization among Arab communities that in order to achieve a better life, we must follow the lead of those who choose to integrate. Even after Joint Arab List Chairman Ayman Odeh called on Arab service members to lay down their weapons and strip themselves of uniform, not a single person heeded his call. In fact, the exact opposite happened: Dozens of Arab officers and troops – including those who were no longer in active duty – inundated social media with pictures showing them proudly donning their IDF fatigues or holding their Israel Police badges. 

As an Arab Israeli citizen and a wounded veteran of the IDF, I decided to hold a commemoration service this Memorial Day together with my colleagues in the NGO "Responsible for Eachother," which promotes coexistence and integration. The ceremony, at the memorial for fallen IDF soldiers, is part of a tradition we started two years ago and hope to continue with an expanded participation year upon year. 

We, the Israeli Arabs, are an inseparable part of Israeli society and Memorial Day is no exception – it should be part of who we are. Everyone should remember the fallen from all faiths, who died for the defense of their country and for our collective sake. May their memory be a blessing. May God rest their souls.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post Arab Israelis want to serve, and remember appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The instigators of violent riots across Israel do not represent the Arab society. They are the extremists among us who managed to recruit hundreds of young men with nothing better to do.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

Nevertheless, the responsibility of being the mature adult rests on the representatives of the Arab public, especially the Arab members of the Knesset. Instead of calming the storm, they attacked the Jewish state and its policies and expressed full support for the rioters.

As a result, the Arab-Israeli society has been dragged by these extremists and political leaders into the Israel-Hamas confrontation. Social media has exploded with anti-Arab messages and calls to boycott Arab businesses, but let's take a moment and understand: there were several hundred rioters, but there are 1.9 million Arabs living in Israel. Generalizing all Arab Israelis as rioters is simply not true.

We, Arab Israelis, stood with the Jewish state during the coronavirus pandemic as doctors and nurses, battling the virus side by side with our Jewish colleagues. Remember Ibrahim Maher, an Arab Israeli nurse at Ha'emek Medical Center in Afula who recited the traditional "Shema Yisrael" prayer for his Jewish patient, who was on his deathbed and whose family was most likely not going to make it in time to see him?

We, Arab Israelis, mobilized a week ago to offer support following the Lag B'Omer disaster. Arab cities like Tamra and Zarzir set up rest stops for evacuees from Mount Meron to have something to eat and drink on their way home. Residents of Jish and Yafa an-Naseriyye helped the evacuees and even went to donate blood to help those injured.

All surveys conducted in recent years show that the issues the Arab society cares about the most are internal social problems: violence and crime, housing, education, and infrastructure. In every single survey, the Palestinian conflict ranks at the bottom of the list.

The same is true of the political arena. The Arab Israeli public has chosen the party that promised to represent the interests of Arab citizens and act, first and foremost, with our interest in mind, even at the expense of foreign issues (a promise they, unfortunately, seem to have gone back on).

The extremist minority among us was waiting for an opportunity to stir up violence. And what better way to do so than staging a danger to the Al-Aqsa Mosque? These rioters took to the streets to hurt Jews, but what they harmed the most was the Arab Israeli society. They undid all the effort of integration and partnership that was in full swing until then.

If one looks at who benefits from the situation, one will understand the complete picture. Extremists on both sides, who oppose coexistence, use the current events to justify their actions, and the vast majority, the sane ones, pay the price.

We must not let this set us back. It is unclear how much damage these events caused or how long it will take to rebuild the trust we worked so hard to acquire, but we, the Arab Israelis, have an opportunity to support and promote a new Arab leadership that will do all that members of Knesset Ayman Odeh and Mansour Abbas have failed to do: genuinely represent the Arabs of Israel and turn us into an integral part of Israeli society.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post Rioters do not represent all Arab Israelis appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Two years ago on Holocaust Remembrance Day, we held the first-ever at-home memorial service in Arab society. Thirty young men and women came to Kisra-Sumei to meet with a Holocaust survivor who shared his personal story. Afterward, we discussed among us, in Arabic, the issue of Holocaust commemoration. At the end of the evening, one of the female participants came up to me and started crying. She told me she lives in Haifa and has a neighbor who is a Holocaust survivor. She said she never truly understood the significance of the Holocaust, and only now understands what her neighbor went through.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter 

This is a small example of the knowledge gap between Jews and Arabs when it comes to the Holocaust.

In my high school in Nazareth, we were taught about the Holocaust as a chapter of World War II in history class. Only in the army did I visit Yad Vashem, and only at age 30 did I meet a Holocaust survivor for the first time. I learned just how problematic the situation is when we organized the event and searched online for information about the Holocaust in Arabic. To my surprise, we discovered it was easier to find Holocaust denial than correct information on the subject.

Essentially, there are more than a few Arab Israelis for whom the Holocaust is the Nakba ("catastrophe" in Arabic), which refers to the displacement of Palestinian refugees during Israel's War of Independence.

We must not accept a situation where one-fifth of the country's population isn't deeply familiar with the Holocaust. We, Arab Israelis, need to learn and teach this subject, not only because it is the history of our Jewish neighbors, but first and foremost because we are human beings. 

The Holocaust is an appalling event in human history, and there is no other way to see it. Although it is the Holocaust of the Jewish people, the responsibility falls on all of us, regardless of religion or ethnicity, to honor and preserve its memory for the next generations, because the moral lessons it teaches are humane and relevant to all.

The state must act toward preserving the memory of the Holocaust in Arab society by, among other avenues, cooperating with local Arab authorities to introduce educational content in school curriculums. In the meantime, though, it's good that there are social initiatives tackling this issue. 

At the memorial event two years ago, one of the participants said we as Arabs can understand the Holocaust better than anyone because we ourselves are a minority that must sometimes contend with instances of racism or discrimination. There are those who will view this as an outrageous comparison that cheapens the Holocaust, but another way of looking at these things is that this was his own personal way of connecting to the subject, which is ultimately the purpose of Holocaust Remembrance Day. To remember and connect, everyone in their own way.

We began two years ago with one trailblazing event, and this year we will hold 20 household memorials in Arabic with hundreds of participants from across the country. In Nazareth, Yafa an-Naseriyye, Kfar Qassem, Shfaram and elsewhere.

On Holocaust Remembrance Day, we are all obligated to remember and swear:  لن تتكر ابداً (Never Again).

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post Holocaust commemoration has a place in Arab society appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

With the dissolution of the Joint Arab List and a new mindset taking hold in Arab society, campaign promises are being made to the Arab public left and right. Talk, however, is cheap. The submission of the parties' Knesset lists was the Jewish parties' first opportunity to show how serious they were. You cannot realistically offer the Arab public an alternative without reserving a respectable spot on your party's slate for a member of the sector.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter 

Both the Yesh Atid and New Hope parties that present themselves as candidates to lead the government and in polls are predicted to garner between 14 and 18 Knesset seats each, found that the 26th slot on their slates was an excellent spot to reserve for an Arab Israeli. The Yamina party's campaign has focused on the economy, an issue relevant to 21% of the country's population. Yet among the 40 names on Yamina's list, not one Arab representative can be found. Blue and White placed Elham Khazen, a woman who announced her candidacy for the presidency, in the party's 13th and final slot. It is safe to say she has a better chance of becoming the country's 11th president than a member of the next Knesset. Among religious Zionist and Haredi parties, the issue is irrelevant.

The Likud, which has brought about this renewed interest in the Arab vote, has failed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech in Nazareth, held virtual meetings with the heads of Arab local authorities, presented a plan to rein in the violence, and ran a campaign that focused on Arab society. The only thing missing was a realistic slot for a representative of the Arab sector. In practice, educator Nael Zoabi was placed in the unrealistic 39th slot – with the promise he would be appointed minister, if necessary, through the use of the Norwegian law [which stipulates that a minister may step down from his position, allowing for another member of his party to take his place – all the while maintaining his position in the government] if necessary. 

Maybe. Still, this is not the way for the Likud party to earn the Arab vote.

Arabs are placed in realistic slots in parties on the Left. Having learned its lesson, Meretz is the only party to offer Arab voters a genuine alternative by reserving the fourth and fifth slots on its Knesset lists for representatives of the sector. Nevertheless, a party that has been sitting on the opposition bench for 20 years cannot be the right fit for the shifting winds in Arab society. We've grown accustomed to hearing the opinions of Ibtisam Mara'ana, No. 7 on the Labor party's list, from members of the Joint Arab List. In fact, Mara'ana's 2012 Facebook post, in which she described as "wonderful" the two-minutes in which she continued to drive as other Israelis pulled over and stood in silence during the Holocaust Remembrance Day siren, makes her even more radical. Fortunately, the Druze still have a few representatives here and there. Hamad Amar is in the No.6 slot of the Yisrael Beytenu party, for example.

Jewish parties had a real opportunity to forge an Arab partnership in the political arena, and that opportunity has been squandered. The lack of any genuine alternative means Arab voter turnout will likely be very low on Election Day. A strong, focused campaign may bring a few thousand people to the ballot box, but the potential for Arabs to have a significant impact has been significantly diminished. Maybe next time, inshallah, things will be different.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories! 

The post Maybe next time things will be different appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Last week, I woke up one morning in my Nazareth home and was astonished to discover I was living under a racist apartheid regime whose only purpose is "the promotion and perpetuation of the superiority of one group of people – the Jews." I rubbed my eyes, read the story in greater depth, and calmed down as soon as I realized the reports were based on yet another report by the left-wing NGO B'Tselem.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

The problem is that this report has spread like wildfire around the world, and the propaganda is working. B'Tselem, which presents itself as a human-rights organization, is in fact known as an organization with a clear political stance that is in contrast to Israel's position. As it turns out, people have no boundaries. How dare they say that I, an Arab Israeli who served along with Jewish soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces and managed hundreds of Jewish employees, live under an apartheid regime?

How can anyone say our society is living under an apartheid regime when among us you will find doctors, judges, and even lawmakers? How can you say Samer Haj-Yehia lives in an apartheid regime when he is the head of the biggest bank in Israel? B'Tselem has already broken the record for hypocrisy, but to compare Israel to an apartheid regime for its racial laws is not only a distorted lie but an insult to all those South Africans who actually lived through apartheid. It is contempt for and cynical exploitation of the concept.

I am not here to claim that everything in Israel is perfect. Some things need to be fixed, and how. But show me a country where everything is perfect. I look around at our neighbors in the region and thank god I was born in the State of Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East. True, the Arab minority in Israel faces challenges, just as other national minorities do in other countries. Yet while minorities of all kinds across the Middle East – Shia Muslims, Sunni Muslims, Yazidi, Kurds, and of course the Christians, are persecuted, the State of Israel is the only country that grants minorities equal rights and the ability to influence their future.

When B'Tselem director Hagai El-Ad, who is Jewish, decides that I, my Arab family, and my Arab friends are all living under an apartheid regime, he and his organizations are basically telling us they see us as second-class citizens. B'Tselem, don't push your agendas at our expense.

To my delight, Israel will likely be the first country to exit the corona crisis, and in a few months, people from around the world may be able to come here and see what apartheid looks like in Israel for themselves. Then they will be able to hear Hebrew and Arabic spoken in the Nazareth marketplace, they will see mosques, churches, and synagogues alongside one another in Jaffa, and see the coexistence of the Israeli mosaic across the country. And maybe, just maybe, their visit here will make them want to live under an apartheid regime.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post What apartheid? appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

We are on the verge of Israel's fourth elections in under two years, but unlike in previous elections, this time, the stars of the show are Arab Israelis.

The same people who were blamed for every wrongdoing until now are suddenly being courted by the Right.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Arab Tira and Umm al-Fahm cities and spoke about the possibility of Likud's first-ever Arab minister.

  Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

New Hope leader Gideon Sa'ar was interview by the Arab Panet website, and fellow party member MK Yoaz Hendel released a video in Arabic. Yamina established election headquarters in the Arab sector, and MK Ayelet Shaked announced that the party sees a potential base among Arab voters.

All of this happened in one week.

Arab Israelis want to be involved in the national decision-making process. This was reflected during the September 2020 elections when 64.8% of Arab voters took to the ballots. This is also what motivated the Joint Arab List – an alliance comprising the Arab or mostly Arab parties Balad, Ra'am-Ta'al, and Hadash – to recommend a Jewish candidate for the position of prime minister for the first time in history.

But after the Joint Arab List received 15 seats in the Knesset and again found itself on the sidelines, the Arab public felt that nothing has truly changed. What difference does getting 15 seats makes if the result is the same?

According to a recent poll, 45.4% of Arab Israelis believe that the Joint Arab List has not performed well over past year. As a result, the party has lost a third of its voters, more than 150,000 people, in addition to tens of thousands of others who are currently looking for other political options.

The Arab public is beginning to understand that instead of JAL, it needs a partnership. Ra'am leader MK Mansour Abbas was the first to identify this and act accordingly.

All of this makes the Arab electorate the most sought-after in the upcoming elections. But in order to become an alternative for the Arab voter to consider, the parties need Arab candidates, a political campaign in Arabic, and plans and solutions for problems in the sector. But most importantly, the parties need to show a genuine rather than opportunistic desire for partnership.

What is interesting perceptually is that the new Arab voter is not politically identified. He does not engage in the left- and right-wing games. He wants security and a livelihood and demands equal treatment by society.

There is a real opportunity to advance the Arab society, and the question is which political party will become the new and true home for the Arab public.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post By creating a genuine partnership, the Right can attract Arab voters appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

However, at the height of an election campaign, when neither party was able to emerge with a lead, it hit them – it was time to try something new and appeal to the Arab public.

 Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

In the April 2019 elections, the Arab public remained at home for the most part out of disinterest and a feeling that no one cared. Fast-forward a year, and for the first time ever, the two largest parties in Israel ardently courted Arab voters.

Likud, which in 2015 warned voters about how the "Arabs are voting in droves" and only a few months ago tried to deploy CCTV camera in polling stations in Arab communities, held a rally in Tamra, in northern Israel, while Blue and White spent over 1 million shekels ($280,000) on a special campaign in Arabic.

Even the Labor-Gesher-Meretz alliance woke up and declares, albeit in the last minute, that it will not enter a government without a pledge that Professor Alean Al-Krenawi be named the first Bedouin minister.

It is also important to note the change in semantics: All parties made sure to separate their criticism of the Joint Arab List and the Arab public itself. True, reaching out to the Arab public at the end of the election campaign is too little and too late. It was a strategic move – not necessarily one that will move the needle in the Arab polls.

Still, it is certainly a welcome step that indicates positive change and makes Arab voters major players in the political game. It also sets the stage for a real alternative to the Joint Arab List to emerge.

Last week Joint Arab List leader Ayman Odeh claimed that there is no such thing as Arab Israelis only Arab citizens. So it is clear that our hope of becoming an integral part of Israel can only be realized with representatives who work for integration and a true partnership in the country.

It may be that, after the polls close tonight, a government will finally emerge. But the political logjam may continue and culminate in another election campaign. But one thing is certain - we will always remember the March 2020 elections as those who first put Arab Israelis on the political map as a major player.

The post Arab Israelis are on the political map appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

Voter fraud is a criminal matter, and one that is equally relevant nationwide. In this case, there is no difference between Jews and Arabs. Cameras are necessary in every sector. Why is there such resistance to them? It's only a method of prevention and oversight – a camera won't deter anyone from voting, but it could deter people from trying to commit voter fraud.

Supporters of the bill to put cameras in polling stations argue that it will prevent widespread fraud in the Arab sector, and opponents claim that it will harm the Arab sector. But no one is talking about the root of the problem – the seemingly obvious connection the bill has to the Arab sector, which is something that makes me, an Arab-Israeli, feel particularly bad. If anyone should welcome documentation of what happens at the polls, it's the Arab public, and the truth is that we will benefit more than other sectors from the law to install cameras at the polls.

We – who cry out over the government ignoring the rampant crime and violence in our streets, who complain that our communities are the scenes of frequent street fights and gunfights – we are the ones who should support the move, whose sole purpose is to bolster security and limit crime. We suffer from prejudice and harsh accusations, so if indeed there is widespread voter fraud in Arab communities, it's time to put an end to it. If these accusations are baseless, there is nothing to fear – everything is fine, so why shouldn't we prove it? Either way, we gain.

The person who is riding the wave of the controversy is Joint Arab List leader Ayman Odeh, who along with his party colleagues, is rushing to portray the camera initiative as a move designed to attack the Arab public. In the April 9 election, they used the excuse that cameras put in place by the Likud caused low voter turn-out in the Arab sector. That's just spin: Our low voter turnout has nothing to do with cameras, it is the result of the representatives of the Arab public's failure in the Knesset.

I hope that the bill passes and we are all able to know that the election process – an expression of democracy – will be completed with integrity, without problems or deceit. The camera bill should not be a matter of dispute between the Right and Left, but between those who uphold the law and thieves. There's nothing we need now more than a reason to smile when we go to the polls next Tuesday, and when the Arab party and lawmakers don't give us a reason to smile, at least the cameras might get one out of us.

The post Smile for the camera, Ayman Odeh! appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.