Symbolic Political Speech In Israel

Raleb Majadele, an Israeli Arab, will soon become the first non-Jewish cabinent member in Israel's government.

Majadele told AP that he would use his position as a Cabinet minister without portfolio for "promoting coexistence between the two peoples inside the state, and promoting dialogue between the Palestinians and the Israelis toward negotiations and political agreement."

Of course many are criticizing the appointment, with the hard-righties saying it's the beginning of the end of Zionism, and the Arab parties (Yes, Virginia, there have always been Arab members of the Knesset in Democratic Israel.) saying Majadele is immoral for accepting the appointment.

Be that as it may, the appointment is a bold act of symbolic political speech, telling all the world that Israel acknowledges the Arabs' right to exist. And it shows that Israel would rather live in peace, and is willing to work with Arabs toward a way they could do that together.

Meanwhile, the Arabs answered with their own form of symbolic political speech:

EILAT, Israel - A Palestinian suicide bomber attacked a bakery in this southern Israeli resort town on Monday, killing himself and three people, police said. ...

A spokesman for Hamas, the radical Islamic group that controls the Palestinian parliament and Cabinet, praised the bombing as a "natural response" to Israeli policies — a position likely to complicate the group's efforts to end a crippling aid boycott imposed by the international community.

In the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, a large crowd gathered outside the bomber's home to praise the attack. "Mohammed be happy. You will go directly to heaven," the crowd chanted, while children held pictures of the bomber. He looked pensive in one image, and held a machine gun in another. (source)

Guess which side the enlightened left supports? And as you do, remember, pro-Palestinian groups (i.e., pro-suicide bomber, pro-death of innocent civilians groups) were prominent among the organizers at United for Peace, the group that put together this weekend's anti-war demonstrations in DC.

Related Tags: Israel, Palestine, World affairs, Leftism, Terrorism