There has been a flood of new laws, practices and rules of apartheid in Israel. Sometimes many of us feel paralyzed because of the racist manifestations in the judiciary, legislature and executive and don’t know where to start fighting. Yet when those laws begin to destroy the lives of close friends, we know this is a good place to start.
On January 12th, 2012 the Israeli Supreme Court upheld a ruling allowing Israel to prevent Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza, who marry Israelis, to reside with their spouses in Israel. This law further permits the deportation of Palestinians who are currently living with their families in Israel.
I remember a year ago when I wrote against the collaboration of the Supreme Court of Israel with the apartheid regime within the ’48 borders of the State. Some of my colleagues claimed that we were pushing it too far. While they all agreed that the Supreme Court collaborates with the occupation, they stilled maintained the belief that within Israel there exists equality before the law.
Yet on January 12th, 2012 the Supreme Court proved otherwise by allowing “the only democracy in the Middle East” to destroy the basic human right of Palestinian citizens of Israel to maintain a family unit, just because they are Arab.
Taiseer Khatib, his wife Lana and their two children,
Yusra (3) and Adnan (4). (Photo: Abir Kopty)
Some of you have probably already heard about the horrific decision of the Supreme Court, but I would like to introduce you to the story of my good friend, Taiseer, and how this new decision can rupture the life of his family just because they are not Jews.
I am asking for your help to disseminate his story to the world and to be in contact with him (email) to enhance the campaign against the new discriminatory rule of the Supreme Court.
Taiseer Khatib is not only a friend, but a colleague of mine from the Freedom Theatre in the Jenin Refugee camp. He began working there six years ago, teaching creative writing and helping to establish the multi-media division at the Theatre.
The January 12th ruling has paved the way for the impending deportation of Taiseer’s wife Lana, a Palestinian from the West Bank town of Jenin, who has been living with him in Israel since their marriage six years ago. The couple lives in Acre and have two children together – Adnan, 4, and Yusra, 3. Currently, the family is terrified of what might happen if Lana is deported, breaking their family apart.
Taiseer’s case is just one of thousands, but I believe that through supporting him we can combat this ruling. It would mean a lot to me if you could contact Taiseer to try to help the cause in any way possible.
I believe that today, pressure from outside of Israel is the only way to reduce the damages of the racist flood, at least until the time comes when the entire ideological structure of the racist ideology that mobilizes Israel will fall apart.
Please see his email address below, along with links to more information about the ruling.
Thanks for your support,
Udi Aloni
Taiseer Khatib’s email is: taiseerk@gmail.com
Resources:
Open Letter from Taiseer Khatib: Raise your voice against Apartheid
News reports:
And you can read more about this particular family here: http://electronicintifada.net/content/palestinian-families-denied-rights-israels-racist-marriage-laws/10866
I really like this idea. It’s really important to put a face on these sorts of issues.
Also more Israeli Arabs should come out and tell their stories, the good and the bad. What exactly they want to see for their future. I think both sides use them to their own advantage (pro Israel use them as evidence of a pluralist society, and anti Zionist can point to inequalities between Jews and non Jews), but we really don’t get a lot from them, and a lot of the times, the questions are pretty slanted (asking if they feel freer than if they lived in another Arab country other than do they feel they have completely equal rights to Jewish Israelis).
So can we get more Arab Israelis to come share their stories on this site? How do they feel about being labelled a demographic threat? Do they prefer to segregate themselves from the Jewish population or would they prefer more integration? What do they think of their representation in Parliament, are they effective or are they merely props to support Israel’s claim to be pluralistic? Would they like to see political parties based less on nationality and religion but sharing more common values (ie- a liberal or conservative party made up of Jewish and non Jewish members)? Do they feel loyalty to both Israel and Palestine? If there were to be two states, which side would they choose to be part of? What is there vision for peace, one state, two state? How are their relations with Jewish Israelis- include all the good and the bad?
Someone help me here. I don’t understand why Israelis themselves don’t raise a fuss about this. There doesn’t seem to me, but I am neither, to be any great difference between Arabs and Jews if one compares one socio-cultural level with another, I mean a small Arab farmer cannot be that different from a Jewish farmer and I can’t imagine that not applying to surgeons, scientists, etc. It certainly appears true of religious extremists. Is it that they are just not aware of stories like this? The same goes for that poor construction worker they ran over. If that happened anywhere in Europe, for instance, there would protests in the streets. If the answer is that Israelis are largely comfortable with all this, then I don’t see how international protestation will help. It might if it was one off but this appears to be endemic. Or am I wrong?
Another thing, I watch Iranian TV, only online now since the UK took the station off the Sky satellite the other day, and I have NEVER heard an anti-Israeli comment in a broadcast, the nearest would be documentaries sympathetic to the Palestinian predicament and, even though their selection might be viewed as biased, I do not think them biased in content. On the other hand Israelis say the most shocking things about Iran and Arabs; one commentator recently actually said Arabs ‘stink’. Imagine saying that about a Jew and managing to keep your job.
Is there a sane Israeli movement anywhere within the country? If so, they are the ones who need support.
Tonight’s Radio Against Apartheid will have an exclusive interview with Taiseer. Will post the link once it’s up online!
We covered the story of Taiseer, Lana, Yusra, and Adnan on Radio Against Apartheid last Wednesday. Lana was able to get the permit to be with her family this year from the state of Israel. Yet as many as 30,000 other families face a similar situation of having to ask permission to stay together, with many of them not being so fortunate.
Radio Against Apartheid: http://radioagainstapartheid.libsyn.com/home/episode-15-people-of-color-in-the-us-and-palestinian-queers-for-bds