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Israeli-Arab Lawmaker, Admirer of Civil Rights Heroes, Visits America Arab-Israeli Parliament Member Sees Prospect for Peace
(about 17 hours later)
A prominent Arab-Israeli member of Israel’s Parliament whose party alliance made strong gains in the last election expressed optimism on Wednesday about the future of a more inclusive Israeli democracy and the creation of a Palestinian state.A prominent Arab-Israeli member of Israel’s Parliament whose party alliance made strong gains in the last election expressed optimism on Wednesday about the future of a more inclusive Israeli democracy and the creation of a Palestinian state.
Despite the recent spikes in violence, polarization and the paralyzed peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Parliament member, Ayman Odeh, said he was hopeful in part because his alliance of Arab parties, known as the Joint List, had done so well in the March voting, an achievement that captured widespread attention.Despite the recent spikes in violence, polarization and the paralyzed peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Parliament member, Ayman Odeh, said he was hopeful in part because his alliance of Arab parties, known as the Joint List, had done so well in the March voting, an achievement that captured widespread attention.
The Joint List won 13 seats, making it the third-largest voting bloc in the 120-seat Parliament and a potentially influential opposition force in Israel’s complicated matrix of political alliances.The Joint List won 13 seats, making it the third-largest voting bloc in the 120-seat Parliament and a potentially influential opposition force in Israel’s complicated matrix of political alliances.
While a coalition of conservative and religious parties loyal to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won a majority of seats and returned him to power, support for the Joint List candidates among Israel’s 1.7 million Arab citizens — 20 percent of the population — was one of the striking outcomes of the vote.While a coalition of conservative and religious parties loyal to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won a majority of seats and returned him to power, support for the Joint List candidates among Israel’s 1.7 million Arab citizens — 20 percent of the population — was one of the striking outcomes of the vote.
“We are living proof that Arabs and Jews can refuse to be enemies,” Mr. Odeh, 40, a lawyer from the northern city of Haifa who views the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X as role models, said in an interview with The New York Times, speaking in a mix of English and Hebrew.“We are living proof that Arabs and Jews can refuse to be enemies,” Mr. Odeh, 40, a lawyer from the northern city of Haifa who views the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X as role models, said in an interview with The New York Times, speaking in a mix of English and Hebrew.
Although Mr. Odeh said the Joint List candidates captured only about 10,000 Jewish votes, “many parts of the Jewish population were able for the first time to hear us.”Although Mr. Odeh said the Joint List candidates captured only about 10,000 Jewish votes, “many parts of the Jewish population were able for the first time to hear us.”
An ardent opponent of Mr. Netanyahu and the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands since the 1967 war, Mr. Odeh described the Israeli prime minister as “the main problem” in the Israeli-Palestinian impasse.An ardent opponent of Mr. Netanyahu and the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands since the 1967 war, Mr. Odeh described the Israeli prime minister as “the main problem” in the Israeli-Palestinian impasse.
He rejected suggestions by some Israeli politicians that an independent Palestine is impossible.He rejected suggestions by some Israeli politicians that an independent Palestine is impossible.
“There is no other solution” except a Palestinian state side by side with Israel, he said. “Israel cannot be a democracy if it occupies land of other people.”“There is no other solution” except a Palestinian state side by side with Israel, he said. “Israel cannot be a democracy if it occupies land of other people.”
Mr. Odeh also said that as a legislator, he would push for greater rights and improved livelihoods among his fellow Arab-Israelis, who are in many cases poorer and less educated than Israeli Jews.Mr. Odeh also said that as a legislator, he would push for greater rights and improved livelihoods among his fellow Arab-Israelis, who are in many cases poorer and less educated than Israeli Jews.
“We are a large minority,” Mr. Odeh said, and the future of Israeli society “can’t be without us.”“We are a large minority,” Mr. Odeh said, and the future of Israeli society “can’t be without us.”
Mr. Odeh said that while the Joint List did not envision any possible future governing coalition with the Zionist Union, Israel’s leading opposition party, “we are willing to see all the options.”Mr. Odeh said that while the Joint List did not envision any possible future governing coalition with the Zionist Union, Israel’s leading opposition party, “we are willing to see all the options.”
Mr. Odeh was visiting New York as part of his first trip to the United States as a member of Israel’s Parliament, the Knesset, with an itinerary that included meetings in Washington with lawmakers like Representative Keith Ellison, Democrat of Minnesota, and Representative John Lewis, Democrat of Georgia.Mr. Odeh was visiting New York as part of his first trip to the United States as a member of Israel’s Parliament, the Knesset, with an itinerary that included meetings in Washington with lawmakers like Representative Keith Ellison, Democrat of Minnesota, and Representative John Lewis, Democrat of Georgia.
He also met with diplomats at the United Nations and is attending a Manhattan conference on Israel starting Sunday sponsored by Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper, and the New Israel Fund, an organization that advocates pluralism and minority rights in Israel.He also met with diplomats at the United Nations and is attending a Manhattan conference on Israel starting Sunday sponsored by Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper, and the New Israel Fund, an organization that advocates pluralism and minority rights in Israel.