BICOM

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to TV presenter Rotem Sela’s criticism of Likud campaign rhetoric against Israeli Arabs by saying ‘Israel is not the state of all its citizens.’

Likud Culture Minister Miri Regev said in an interview that Benny Gantz will try to form a government with Arab parties, in response Rotem posted on Instagram: “I see Miri Regev sitting and explaining to Rina Matzliach that the public needs to beware because if Benny Gantz is elected, he’ll form a coalition with the Arabs. Rina Matzliach is silent. And I ask myself why Rina doesn’t ask her in astonishment—and what’s the problem with the Arabs?”

She added: “God in heaven, there are also Arab citizens in this country. When the hell will somebody in the government let the Israeli public know that Israel is a state of all its citizens and that all people are born equal? The Arabs—may God have mercy—are also human beings. And so are the Druze and the gays incidentally and the lesbians too and, shock, the leftists too.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded with a post on Instagram that said: “Dear Rotem Sela, I read what you wrote. First of all, an important correction: Israel is not the state of all its citizens. According to Basic Law that we passed, Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people — and its alone. As you wrote, there is no problem with the Arab citizens of Israel — they have equal rights as all of us and the Likud government has invested more in the Arab sector than any other government.”

At the weekly Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu reaffirmed: “I would like to clarify a point that, apparently, is not clear to slightly confused people in the Israeli public. Israel is a Jewish, democratic state. This means is that it is the national state of the Jewish people alone. Of course it respects the individual rights of all its citizens – Jews and non-Jews alike, but it is the national state, not of all its citizens, but only of the Jewish people. Other peoples, other nationalities and other minorities – have national representation in other states. The national representation of the Jewish people is in the State of Israel. Israel is the national state of the Jewish people and of it alone.”

Israeli actress Gal Gadot expressed her support for her close friend Sela and said: “Love your neighbour as yourself. This isn’t an issue of right or left. Jew or Arab. Secular or religious. It’s an issue of dialogue, of a dialogue for peace and security and our tolerance of one towards the other. Responsibility for sowing hope and light for a better future for our children resides with us. Rotem, my sister, you’re an inspiration for us all.”

Education Minister Naftali Bennett told a conference of young voters at Tel Aviv University: “At a time when missiles are falling on southern communities, I don’t understand the logic of attacking a television presenter. When I’m defence minister we’ll fight terrorists, not the host of ‘The Next Star for the Eurovision.'”

Joint List chairman Ayman Odeh tweeted: “In Israel 2019, to say that the meaning of democracy is a state for all its citizens and that Arabs need to be full citizens – yes, that demands great courage. Rotem Sela, we’ve never met, but good for you.”