“There is no room for discrimination against Arab Israelis,” insisted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement. “We cannot make generalizations about an entire population based on a small unruly minority. Most Arabs citizens of Israel are law-abiding.” Netanyahu’s comments came after Ashkelon Mayor, Itamar Shimoni, announced on Thursday that he would bar employment of Arab construction workers from the city’s pre-school bomb-shelter renovation projects, which prompted outraged responses from across the Israeli political spectrum.
President Reuven Rivlin appealed to politicians to “send a strong message to both us and the entire world” that Israel’s Jewish character goes hand in hand with tis democratic character. “This is a testament to how we aren’t willing to compromise on neither security nor values, even when faced with murderous terror,” he said.
Shimoni sidetracked criticism of his decision, saying, “I have nothing against Arab Israelis, they work with us throughout the year and do construction for us. However, he said, when tensions are high, just as Jews should be prevented from entering the Temple Mount, “by the same measure, I think it is wrong to allow Arab workers into the kindergartens.”
Interior Minister Gilad Erdan called Shimoni’s decision unacceptable, “we cannot generalize and tarnish an entire community within Israel,” he said, adding that such decision could increase tensions between Israeli Jews and Arabs.
Naftali Bennett, Minister of Economy, said he would work to overturn the decision. “We are experiencing a difficult time, a wave of terror, but we know that 99.9 percent of Arab Israelis are loyal to Israel,” he said. “There is a very small minority that is against us. As economy minister, I will not allow any worker to be harmed based on religion or race – this will not happen in Israel.”
A statement from Israel’s Commission for Equal Employment Opportunities indicates that “a not insignificant number of requests regarding employers firing or wishing to terminate the employment of Arab male and female employees, solely on racial grounds”, as a backlash following a recent wave of Palestinian attacks against Israelis.
Arab Israeli lawmaker, Ahmed Tibi, said he has petitioned the Attorney-General’s office to take action against the Ashkelon decision. “Security is an excuse for clear racism and law-breaking,” Tibi told Israel Radio.
Further reading:
Netanyahu Condemns Backlash Against Israeli Arabs – Bloomberg – 11.20.14
Netanyahu on discrimination of Israeli-Arabs: An entire community should not be stigmatized – Jerusalem Post – 11.20.14
Ashkelon mayor bars Arab construction workers from local kindergartens – Haaretz – 11.20.14