Yoseph Haddad is an Arab Israeli who is fed up with being told he lives under an “apartheid” regime. He recently expressed his particular anger with B’Tselem, a left-wing Israei NGO that spreads this baseless claim of Israel “apartheid” around the world. He takes the NGO eloquently to task here: “What apartheid?,” by Yoseph Haddad, Israel Hayom, January 17, 2021. There is a Jihad Watch report on B’Tselem’s claims here. Haddad writes:
Last week, I woke up one morning in my Nazareth home and was astonished to discover I was living under a racist apartheid regime whose only purpose is “the promotion and perpetuation of the superiority of one group of people – the Jews.” I rubbed my eyes, read the story in greater depth, and calmed down as soon as I realized the reports were based on yet another report by the left-wing NGO B’Tselem.
The problem is that this report has spread like wildfire around the world, and the propaganda is working. B’Tselem, which presents itself as a human-rights organization, is in fact known as an organization with a clear political stance that is in contrast to Israel’s position. As it turns out, people have no boundaries. How dare they say that I, an Arab Israeli who served along with Jewish soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces and managed hundreds of Jewish employees, live under an apartheid regime?
How can anyone say our society is living under an apartheid regime when among us you will find doctors, judges, and even lawmakers? How can you say Samer Haj-Yehia lives in an apartheid regime when he is the head of the biggest bank in Israel? B’Tselem has already broken the record for hypocrisy, but to compare Israel to an apartheid regime for its racial laws is not only a distorted lie but an insult to all those South Africans who actually lived through apartheid. It is contempt for and cynical exploitation of the concept.
I am not here to claim that everything in Israel is perfect. Some things need to be fixed, and how. But show me a country where everything is perfect….
When B’Tselem director Hagai El-Ad, who is Jewish, decides that I, my Arab family, and my Arab friends are all living under an apartheid regime, he and his organizations are basically telling us they see us as second-class citizens. B’Tselem, don’t push your agendas at our expense….
This is an eloquent response by an Israeli Arab who hits back at B’Tselem, furious at its falsehoods, not only by denying its charge that Israel is an “apartheid” state, but offering his own story, as someone who both served in the IDF, and as a civilian directed “hundreds of Jewish employees,” as counter-evidence to B’Tselem’s preposterous claims. And he hits back where it hurts at B’Tselem, an organization of far-left Israelis whose reason for being is to undermine their own country’s image, by noting how the group manages to exploit and diminish real examples of “apartheid” for, as Yoseph Haddad says, “to compare Israel to an apartheid regime for its racial laws is not only a distorted lie but an insult to all those South Africans who actually lived through apartheid. It is contempt for and cynical exploitation of the concept.”
He mentions that there are Arab “doctors, judges, even lawmakers” in Israel. He might have added that those Arab “doctors” include specialists who run departments at Israeli hospitals and work side-by-side with Jewish colleagues, as their equals. He could have noted that those Arab “lawmakers” include members of the Arab Joint List, which is the third largest political bloc in the Knesset. He could have observed that Arab Israelis are not just “judges” at the municipal level, but sit on Israel’s Supreme Court. He could have said that Israeli Arabs are sent abroad as ambassadors for their country. There is complete legal equality of Arab and Jew in Israel. In only one thing do they differ, and it is to the Arabs’ advantage. Israeli Arabs, unlike Israeli Jews, are not required to serve in the IDF, though they may – like Yoseph Haddad – do so if they wish. There are Arab majors and lieutenant colonels though, as yet, no Arab generals, but that’s only a matter of time. And as Haddad notes, there is no glass ceiling for Arab Israelis in business, either: the head of Israel’s largest bank – Bank Leumi — is an Arab.
B’Tselem, take note. Don’t force Mr. Haddad to hold you up for ridicule yet again.
mortimer says
Thank God for Yoseph Haddad who courageously breaks away from the herd and speaks his own reality. The accusations of ‘apartheid’ in Israel are greatly exaggerated, but in neighboring Arab areas, Jews and Christians are truly second class and live in constant fear of violence from Muslim mobs.
gravenimage says
So true, Mortimer.
gravenimage says
An Arab Israeli Asks ‘What Apartheid’?
……………………..
Kudos to Yoseph Haddad for telling the truth!
Infidel says
Not to take anything away from either him or his claims, but his name seems to suggest that he’s Arab Christian, rather than muslim. That would make a major difference to any assumptions about his loyalties on the part of the Israelis
Israel’s Arab Christians may be loyal, but Israel’s Arab muslims should be suspect as a fifth column, particularly since their Joint List party is almost the Israeli edition of Fatah
somehistory says
I wondered about that. Thanks.
gravenimage says
Infidel, he is reacting to a story claiming that Israel is Jewish surpremacist. If this were the case, Christians as well as Muslims wouo suffer from it. He is pointing out that this is not true.
Charles Lavin says
The problem with all far left/right ,organisations , is they kick at what is fixed , then break it …they need tarring and feathering
john smith says
As much as admire the Jewish people in general, at times they can be their own worst enemy.
It comes as no surprise to me that the director of B’Tselem is a Jew.
Simon says
Never fails to fascinate JS…..and if they got their way would the muslims give them any respect……noooo just treat them like they would treat any Jew….with total disdain
RonaldB says
Yoseph Haddad is a Christian Arab. He proves pretty conclusively Christian Arabs are not discriminated against in Israel. He doesn’t prove anything concerning Muslim Arabs. I’m not accusing him or Israel, but simply pointing out that there is another side to the argument that hasn’t been addressed. In fact, were I Israeli, I don’t know what the proper policy would be concerning Muslims in Israel. Some Muslims consider it a religious duty to depose the Jewish regime; some Muslims think the Koran mandates a Jewish state in the Middle East.
Infidel says
That’s the point I was making above. I know that Israel doesn’t discriminate against either Christian nor muslim Arabs, but there is a difference b/w the 2. Christian Arabs, who know what the Palis and Arab Muslims in general are like, are pretty likely to be loyal to Israel, whereas muslim Arabs – we know what they do just from their activity in the Joint Lists party.
Simon says
So is the bank manager cited……
Doesn’t alter the fact true apartheid should be the description applied to the Sharia states surrounding Israel with the exception maybe of Lebanon…bet you’ll never hear that from B’Tselem though!
somehistory says
Good for him, speaking up in a time when Truth is attacked from all sides.
I cannot understand how the Jews can have so many Jews as enemies. first that comes to mind is soros…a vile creature. But, there are so many organizations made up of Jews that are down on others. Hard to understand. Guess some people are just not into being good people; just don’t want to be honest and caring.
Not liking the government is one thing; but these seem to go so much against the people.
L Mayor says
As an American, 4th generation Jew, who has quite a few relatives and friends who are Israeli, I contend that, to most American Jews, leftism is their true religion, with the democrat party being their temple. They blindly adhere to all of the most disgusting ideas of the left/democrats, including the desire to destroy Israel. Why are so many American Jews such loyal leftists? I believe that they accept the ridiculous premise that the left has always pushed, that leftism holds the moral high ground on all issues. Thus, to feel that they are highly moral people, they must identify with all things leftist, even if this means supporting the destruction of the ancient Jewish homeland.
Tony Naim says
The only prevalent apartheid system still in practice in this day and age is represented by the Laws Of Dhimmitude in Islamic sharia. The constitutions of All Arab countries with the exception of Lebanon are based on Sharia.
gravenimage says
So true, Tony.
Simon says
+1
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