Saturday, May 13, 2006

[ePalestine] Challenge / Ferment Over 'The Israel Lobby' / 62% of Israelis support government-backed Arab emigration

Dear friends,

Two worthwhile articles and some recent Israeli statistics, which are stunning as we enter, in 2 days, 58 years of this man-made Catastrophe (Nakba).

In remembrance of those living dead, called refugees,
Sam

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CHALLENGE

A Magazine Covering the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict


Read this insightful article in the latest issue:

The Choice is Now

By Angela Godfrey-Goldstein

For PDF file:


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The NATION

ARTICLE | posted April 27, 2006 (May 15, 2006 issue) 

Ferment Over 'The Israel Lobby' 

Philip Weiss

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Haaretz

Last update - 10:58 09/05/2006                          

More than half of Israelis want gov't to help Arabs emigrate 

By Amiram Barkat, Haaretz Correspondent 

More than half of Israelis think the government should encourage its Arab citizens to emigrate from Israel, according to an annual survey by the Israel Democracy Institute. 

A poll published Tuesday on the state of democracy in Israel found that 62 percent of Israelis support government-backed Arab emigration, compared to the 40 percent detailed by Geocartography Institute poll in March. 

The annual survey of the status of democracy in Israel was published Tuesday morning, in preparation for the Israel Democracy Institute conference to be held Wednesday sponsored by President Moshe Katzav. 

29 percent of Israelis think crucial decisions concerning Israel's future should be decided by a Jewish majority, and only 14 percent feel that relations between Jews and Arabs are stable. 

The study also shows a decline in public disapproval of Israel Defense Forces soldiers refusing orders due to personal morals or ideology, especially regarding refusal to evacuate settlements. 58 percent disapprove refusal of orders in the military, as opposed to 70 percent last year. 

Tuesday's poll, the Democracy Index 2006, was conducted in the Gutman Center under the direction of Professor Asher Arian. 

The poll focused this year on public interest in political parties. The study shows that despite a growing interest in current affairs, confidence in politicians has declined. 

82 percent of respondents believe that democracy is the ideal form of government for Israel, a 5 percent increase from the previous poll. 77 percent believe that democracy is the ideal form of government for any country. 

27 percent feel that they can influence their government's policies, while only 17 percent think elected officials fulfill their campaign promises. 25 percent believe that Knesset members are concerned with what the public thinks. 

Israelis place less trust in political parties than in any other government or public institution. Only 22 percent trust the parties, compared with the 33 percent that place their trust in the Knesset, 44 that trust the media, 68 percent that trust the supreme court and 79 percent the trust the IDF. 




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