Giuliani’s ‘Human Rights and Freedom Advisor’ Expressed Racist Attitude Re Arab Birth Rate

by Philip Weiss on October 24, 2007 · 3 comments

Law professor Peter Berkowitz is one of Giuliani’s neoconservative braintrust: "his Senior Statecraft, Human Rights and Freedom Advisor." In a piece in the Weekly Standard a couple of years ago, the new human rights and freedom advisor expressed grave concern about the Israeli Arab birth rate at a time when western Jews aren’t emigrating to Israel. He said that Arab birth rates are a "threat" to Israel’s "political sovereignty and territorial integrity" and came out for a policy aimed at curbing subsidies to large families, thereby limiting Arab birth rates in the Jewish state. It’s hard not to describe this attitude as racist. Does Rudy Giuliani endorse such family-planning policies?

From the 2004 piece. First Berkowitz echoed, without demurral, Netanyahu’s concern about demographic threats to Israel:

If Arab inhabitants are wonderfully integrated and their numbers increase to 35-40 percent of the total inhabitants of the state, then the Jewish state will have been abolished, and it will have turned into a binational state. If their numbers remain at about 20 percent, as they are today, or fall, but relations are stiff, contentious, and violent, this too will hurt our democratic character. Therefore, we need a policy that balances these two needs. First of all, it is necessary to assure a Jewish majority in

Israel

.

Berkowitz then goes through a bunch of demographic number issues before issuing his own policy recommendation, one that would "encourage a family size among Arab citizens more consistent with the developed-world social and economic life available in

Israel

."

Related posts:

  1. When will ‘Rabbis for Human Rights’ speak out for human rights in Gaza?
  2. Palestinian Human Rights group condemns honor killing
  3. Ross defends Rabbis for Human Rights, and Alterman too
  4. Richard Engel says Arab states care more about Iran than Palestinian freedom
  5. trying to get Washington’s head around… ‘basic human rights’

{ 3 comments }

1 Carl October 24, 2007 at 9:32 am

Jeruslaem Post article: Israel sold military technology to China against U.S. wishes. Now Iran will get the technology.

What are the chances that a US newspaper will carry this article?

Iran acquiring fighter jets that are based on Israeli technology
By JPOST.COM STAFF

Iran has signed a deal with China to purchase 24 J-10 fighter jets between 2008 and 2010, Russian news agency Novosti reported. The jets were developed based on the technology of Israel's Lavi fighter jet, whose technology was sold to China against the wishes of the US.

* Analysis: The military option is now on the table
* NATO: We have no mandate to deal with Iran

Novosti stated that the J-10 has a range of 2,940 kilometers, bringing it within range of Israel. Iran's current MiG-29 jets have a range of 2,100 kilometers.

A Russian military expert, quoted by the agency, said that Iran plans to use the new aircraft as part of its defense of the Bushehr nuclear facility in the face of a possible attack.

The Israeli Lavi fighter jet was developed in the 1980s but the project was canceled following pressure from America, which feared that the new jet would compete with its F-16 in international markets. The US subsequently sold F-16s to Israel at reduced costs.

China began developing the J-10 in 2004 and currently has 89 aircraft in active service.

Novosti added that no response was given by the Prime Minister's office.

2 john October 24, 2007 at 11:48 am

PBS on coming war with Iran

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/showdown/etc/synopsis.html

3 Montag October 25, 2007 at 2:18 am

Netanyahu was also tough on Israeli Jews. As Finance Minister he oversaw the dismantling of Israel's safety net for the poor. When ordinary Israelis complained that they couldn't make ends meet with their family finances Netanyahu replied, "Have the wife get a job." And all over Israel single mothers said, "Yeah, a WIFE, gotta get me one of those."

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