|
Trending Topics
|
Source: https://nationalinterest.org/feature/israel-not-racist-state-206655
Israel Is Not a "Racist State"
(National Interest) Ahmed Charai - Comparing Israel to apartheid South Africa ignores the reality that is visible to anyone who stands on an Israeli sidewalk. Israel's demography is far more complex than critics imagine. One out of every five Israelis was either born in Morocco or the descendants of Moroccans. Another fifth hail from elsewhere in North Africa or East Africa, such as the Ethiopian Jews. Then there are the Israelis from the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, Syria, and Iran. Then there are Jews who hail from the former Soviet Union, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and other eastern lands. And, of course, there are European descendants of the Nazi horror. Israel also has many Christian and Muslim citizens who fully participate in public life. American non-Jews support Israel in larger numbers than American Jews, according to numerous polls. Many U.S. Christians support Israel because their Bible-focused religion makes Israel a familiar place. They have grown up reading and hearing about ancient Israel and have no trouble translating that into an affection for modern-day Israel. The writer, a Moroccan publisher, is on the board of the Atlantic Council, the International Crisis Group, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Foreign Policy Research Institute, and the Center for the National Interest.