|
bFasuta, Emanuel Khoury, worked full-time in the region and bgathered many names. The lesson to be learned from this is that ba sizable number of Arabs would be eager to leave the country bfor some Western state. This should hardly surprise anyone, for bare there not many Israeli Jews who happily do the same? bIn the years that followed, difficult years for myself and the bKach movement, persistence and determination in the face of barrests and vilification were rewarded. Not only is there a dra- bmatic change in the attitude of the general public vis-à-vis the bneed to transfer the Arabs, but various personalities have begun bto speak out on the subject. To be sure, they have not yet the bcourage or understanding to call for a compulsory transfer of all bArabs who will not accept conditions of noncitizen residency, band they still speak of “voluntary emigration,” but they are be- bginning to move in the right direction. They are proof of the bpower of small but determined catalysts. bAnd so in January 1979 Meir Har-Zion, one of the best- bknown heroes of the Israeli army, wrote concerning the Arabs: b“I do not say we should put them on trucks or kill them. . . . We bmust create a situation in which for them, it is not worth living bhere, but rather in Jordan or Saudi or any other Arab state.” bHar-Zion was applauded by Israeli’s most famous song- bwriter, Naomi Shemer (“Jerusalem of Gold”), in an article in bthe Labor newspaper Davar (February 9, 1979): “Arab emigra- btion from Israel, if done with mutual respect and positive bagreement . . . can be the correct answer.” bAnd during a debate in the Knesset on Arab terrorism in bthe territories, Likud Knesset member Amnon Linn said (May b18, 1976): “We should begin mass expulsion of entire com- bmunities that participated in demonstrations and riots—and btransfer them across the border. This is said for women, men, band children.” bThey are still a minority of public voices and have not yet bunderstood the totality of what must be done or lack the courage bto say so. But they have come a long way. Above all, many Is- braelis, particularly in the Sephardic communities, do under- bstand and will support a policy of Arab transfer under voluntary bor compulsory conditions. bIn the meantime, life for the Arabs of Israel must cease to bbe one of avoiding obligations while enjoying material well- b
|
|