Arab Fifth Column Watch - OK, See, That's Almost Definitionally Treason
Not content with all but pledging allegiance to a country that Israel is at war with, Knesset Member, law-maker, and Israeli citizen Mohammed Barakeh is now calling patriotic Arab-Israeli citizens traitors to a higher Arab cause:
MK Mohammed Barakeh (Hadash-Ta'al) harshly criticized Israeli Arab citizens who vote for Zionist parties on Tuesday, saying, "These are people who are bribed or receive benefits," he told Haaretz. "They are mistaken if they think that will be the source of their life preserver."
We admit, this is only the suggestion of treason. Zionism is the belief in the right of Israel to exist, but maybe he's saying that the Zionist parties themselves should be rejected for reasons other than Zionism. It could be what he's saying.
"I am not loyal to the country. The country must be loyal to me. The country is supposed to serve the citizens, rather than the citizens worshipping the state," he said.
Is it really too much to ask that on be loyal to a country that elects one to national office? We're not asking for all Arab citizens to be loyal to Israel - even though we are asking that, and even though Arab citizens in Israel enjoy more political, economic, and cultural rights than the Arab citizens of any other country in the Middle East - but he's a member of the Israeli parliament. This is like a member of Congress pledging loyalty to Iraq - and getting reelected!
MK Mohammed Barakeh (Hadash-Ta'al) harshly criticized Israeli Arab citizens who vote for Zionist parties on Tuesday, saying, "These are people who are bribed or receive benefits," he told Haaretz. "They are mistaken if they think that will be the source of their life preserver."
We admit, this is only the suggestion of treason. Zionism is the belief in the right of Israel to exist, but maybe he's saying that the Zionist parties themselves should be rejected for reasons other than Zionism. It could be what he's saying.
"I am not loyal to the country. The country must be loyal to me. The country is supposed to serve the citizens, rather than the citizens worshipping the state," he said.
Is it really too much to ask that on be loyal to a country that elects one to national office? We're not asking for all Arab citizens to be loyal to Israel - even though we are asking that, and even though Arab citizens in Israel enjoy more political, economic, and cultural rights than the Arab citizens of any other country in the Middle East - but he's a member of the Israeli parliament. This is like a member of Congress pledging loyalty to Iraq - and getting reelected!
