Of Declarations and Independence

69

bments that future generations will surely marvel at with a mix- bture of total astonishment and uncontrollable laughter.
 

b•President Yitzhak Navon is upset over the serious Arab bagitation in the Galilee. He is aware of the fact that from the bJewish standpoint there is a desperate need to settle Jews in that bstrategic northern region, where they are already a minority. bThis has led to a government program to “Judaize the Galilee.” bOn September 13, 1978, while on a visit there, he noted that the bphrase is offensive to the Arabs. “It is preferable,” he said, “to buse the term ‘Jewish settlement of the Galilee.’ It is more correct band also politically better.” Of course. It is obvious that that will bsoothe the Arabs and prevent future Land Days in the bGalilee. . . .

b•Then Foreign Minister Yigal Allon was wont to hold an an- bnual “Spring Jewish-Arab Gathering” at which—in the manner of bsome British colonial raja or pukka—he would speak to the assem- bbled. On May 26, 1976, Allon said: “History decreed that Jews and bArabs should forever live side by side . . . always, within the inde- bpendent State of Israel itself, there will be Jews, Muslims, Druzes, band Christians, living together as citizens with equal rights. . . .

b“I believe that, in the future as in the past, the Jewish majority band the Arab minority will be able to live in understanding, cooper- bation, and mutual respect in the State of Israel, which arose to bsolve the national problem of the Jewish people. . . .

b“To the extent that misunderstandings arise, it is neces- bsary, and possible, to resolve them peacefully, in a spirit of un- bderstanding and goodwill, without deviating from the progressive bdemocratic laws which prevail in our country.”

bIt is almost beyond comprehension that a foreign minister bcould have made such statements. One is faced with an agoniz- bing choice: either he sincerely meant what he said and thus was bboth incompetent and bewildered, or he understood the non- bsense he was saying and his contempt for Arab intelligence was bprofound.

b“The Jewish majority and the Arab minority will be able to live bin understanding. . . .” Note the assumption: that there will balways be a Jewish majority in the state that arose to solve the bJewish “national problem.” And what if through the peaceful bcooperation, mutual respect, and understanding that Allon b