Israeli Elections: One Thing Wrong with Avigdor Lieberman's Plan for Israel

[Lieberman] . . . one candidate who is different, in substance and appearance – Avigdor Lieberman.

Israeli Arabs call Lieberman, the leader of Israel Beiteinu ("Israel Our Home") – a party that initially drew strength from the immigrant community, but has since become more mainstream – a fascist and a racist.

His controversial campaign slogan, "Without loyalty, there is no citizenship," calls for all citizens to swear an oath of allegiance to the country, as well as serve in the army or do some form of national service. If they don’t, he says, they should lose their rights as citizens.

Critics say his platform is just a not-so-thinly-veiled attack on Israel’s 1.5 million Arabs. And Jews from the largest orthodox party, Shas, call him Satan because like Israel’s Arabs – most ultra-Orthodox members don’t serve in the army.

[Now, here is what is wrong with Lieberman's platform]

He backs the idea of a Palestinian state, but suggests that Israel’s Arab citizens – who make up 20 percent of the population – swap land with Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank. Israeli Arabs see that plan as just another way of throwing them out their homes in Israel.

[emphasis in red mine. lw]

Posted: Monday, February 09, 2009 2:25 PM
Filed Under: Tel Aviv, Israel
By Martin Fletcher, NBC News Correspondent
as ULTRANATIONALIST SHAKES UP HO-HUM ISRAELI ELECTION

COMMENT:

"Palestinian" Arab state is a bad idea. Arabs--Moslems--have enough states as it is. Arabs living in Israel, whether erroneously considered to be "Israelis" must be removed--not to Jewish territory in Judea and Samaria (Gaza appears at least for now to be in Arab hands)--but to other territories that are "cleansed of Jews" and under Mohammedan Arab rule.