Posted on 04/19/2009 7:47:15 PM PDT by forkinsocket
Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin on Sunday chose the Arab city of Umm al-Fahm, home to the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, as his first location for a formal visit following his induction.
Less than a month after fights broke out when rightists undertook the controversial 'flag march' through the city, Rivlin went so far as to say he would not ask residents to sing the national anthem during his visit.
"I can't require non-Jews to sing 'as long as in all hearts there beats a Jewish spirit'," he said. However, "it is important not to incite against Israel," he added, alluding to repeated extreme statements made by Islamic Movement's leader and city resident Sheikh Raed Salah.
Rivlin said that he chose to visit exactly because of the decades-long Arab-Jewish conflict surrounding the town. Meeting with with Mayor Sheikh Khaled Hamdan, he said "we need to develop a dialogue, to stop sweeping things under the table."
"There are those who say that we need to transfer Umm al-Fahm," the Knesset Speaker said alluding to Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's statements from 2007 that certain Arab population centers should be to Palestinian control in the event of an Israeli-Palestinian agreement.
"Umm al-Fahm is a city in Israel, past, present and future," Rivlin said, adding "I also say this about Jerusalem."
Not 'pursuant to, for or against' flag march
Rivlin, who was accompanied by MK Afu Aghbaria (Hadash) and MK Uri Orbach (Habayit Hayehudi), insisted that his visit was not directly related to the march, saying that, he did not come "pursuant to, for or against" it.
His visit, described by participants as having a pleasant atmosphere, included such innocuous sites as the local art gallery and museum, which features Palestinian craftsmanship, and a school in the city.
Nonetheless, regional leaders did make a point of bringing up the march. During a meeting, one of the members of the Wadi Ara Regional Council said, "We respect the State of Israel, but you can't expect us to wake up every morning and salute the flag."
Hamdan, making an even more pointed reference to the march, said he welcomed Rivlin with open arms but added that "those who challenge our right to exist here will not be welcomed." He asked the Knesset speaker to advance issues pertaining to the Arab sector in Israel.
Meanwhile, right-wing activists Itamar Ben-Gvir and Baruch Marzel, organizers of the flag march, slammed Rivlin for his visit, saying that, "regrettably, the Knesset speaker was folding the flag and arriving for a march of capitulation in front of hostile elements in Israel."
"This sends a message of surrender to those who do not accept the fact that Israel is the home of the Jewish people," they said. The two recently organized a controversial flag-bearing march through the city.
well, our moslem president didn’t put his hand on his heart durin g the pledge of allegiance.
I love the Israeli national anthem.
Rivlin: You can’t force people to be loyal to Israel, that would be discriminatory, and they would be justified in hating us for it!
Ugh, I hate self-hating Jews.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
There already is a Palestinian state, they’re called: Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Libya....They are all Arabs, Palestinians are just Arabs.
I completely agree. There is such a double-standard, where people all say that Israel must under all circumstances accept the Arab minority that wants to destroy her, but that the Arabs don’t have to accept the Jews or the Jewish State. The recent White House proclamation about the PA not having to accept Israel, reflects this evil, hypocritical mentality.
America booted the Tories out; Israel should boot the Arab Muslims out..
Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin on Sunday chose the Arab city of Umm al-Fahm, home to the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, as his first location for a formal visit following his induction... Rivlin went so far as to say he would not ask residents to sing the national anthem during his visit. "I can't require non-Jews to sing 'as long as in all hearts there beats a Jewish spirit'," he said. However, "it is important not to incite against Israel," he added, alluding to repeated extreme statements made by Islamic Movement's leader and city resident Sheikh Raed Salah... "There are those who say that we need to transfer Umm al-Fahm," the Knesset Speaker said alluding to Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's statements from 2007 that certain Arab population centers should be to Palestinian control in the event of an Israeli-Palestinian agreement. "Umm al-Fahm is a city in Israel, past, present and future," Rivlin said, adding "I also say this about Jerusalem."Umm al-Fahm can't leave Israel, but no Arab living in Israel can be forced to sing the national anthem? Rivlin needs to call the suicide hotline right now.
They don’t sing well anyway.
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