Mere Rhetoric: Israeli-Arab Fifth Column Watch - Conflicted Loyalty To Hezbollah Edition

Good news:

A vast majority of Israeli Arabs would support a constitution that maintained Israel's status as a Jewish and democratic state while guaranteeing equal rights for minorities, according to a poll whose results were published on Sunday. Among the 507 people who participated in the poll, some 75 percent said they would agree with such a definition while 23 percent said they would oppose it

Bad news:

The Balad movement held a rally in support of former Knesset Member Azmi Bishara, who is under investigation for suspected collaboration with the enemy during the Second Lebanon War last summer. Over 3,000 supporters attended the rally in Nazareth on Saturday... "What is Bishara accused of? Collaborating with the enemy? Hizbullah isn't our enemy, the Israeli occupation is the enemy. Olmert, Diskin and Lieberman the immigrant will not succeed in removing us from our land," Hadash's Secretary-General Ayman Auda said. Balad Faction Chairman Jamal Zahalka told Ynet ahead of the rally, "The attack is not only against Bishara, but against all Palestinians in Israel."

"Palestinians in Israel", of course, implies that Israel's Arab citizens - and the people that they elect to help run the country - are Palestinian and not Israeli. "Hezbollah isn't our enemy, the Israeli occupation is the enemy" speaks for itself. We're heartened by the poll results, which seem too indicate that some moderation still exists among Israeli-Arabs. But that's hard to reconcile with what economists would call their revealed preferences - the people they elect and the platforms they support. Saying something to a pollster is cheap. Electing a traitor is a somewhat more overwhelming statement of purpose.

References:
* Hadash official: Hizbullah not Israeli Arabs' enemy [YNet]
* Poll: 75% of Israeli Arabs support Jewish, democratic constitution [Ha'aretz]

Previously:
* Arab Fifth Column Watch - Treason's Just Another Word for Anti-Zionism
* Fifth Column Watch (They Really Do Support Hezbollah Edition)
* Israeli-Arab Fifth Column Watch - If Israelis Support People Who Want To Wipe Out Israel, Is It Still Treason If Those Israelis Happen To Be Arab?

About

Omri Ceren is a PhD student studying Rhetoric at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication. He lives in downtown Los Angeles.
Email: omri@mererhetoric.com
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