Minister of Minority Affairs says Israel has the most unequal society amongst western NTS - Polidicks

[B]Minister of Minority Affairs [of Israel] says Israel has the most unequal society amongst western [highlight]nations.[/highlight] [/B][quote] Israel should do more to integrate its Arab and Haredi sectors, Minister of Minority Affairs Avishay Braverman said on Tuesday, the third day of the "Democracy and its Challenges" conference sponsored by the French Embassy in cooperation with Haaretz. "David Ben Gurion wanted Israel to be a light onto the nations – a moral leader and a nation of justice and equality," Braverman said. "This requires long-term vision, which is tough in a world where what is pressing pushes aside what is important, when we are enslaved by ratings and finances." [URL="http://dclk.themarker.com/event.ng/Type=click&FlightID=169800&AdID=247386&TargetID=11953&Segments=39,316,8154,8156,9809,9814,9823,9825,9996,10008,10009,10080,10101,10160,10226,10359,10368,10438,10489,10539,10558&Targets=7003,12438,12128,11743,12570,11824,11953,11585&Values=44,72,86,338,1297,1598,1601,1638,3194,3676,3747,3758,4436,4910,4913,4946&RawValues=&Redirect=http://www.judaicawebstore.com/category.aspx?categoryID=3"] [/URL] Braverman said that the Haredim should be embraced in the workplace and that more resources should be allocated for Arabs. He said he is working on a plan for the coming decade incorporating those goals. "Thus we will realize Ben Gurion's vision of a nation that is a renewable light unto the nations," he said. "We have more startups than Europe. We succeeded in building a terrific state – the state of Tel Aviv. But Israel is Carthage, without the Negev. We have the most unequal society among western nations. When we founded the nation, we were one of the most equal societies." Regarding the situation with the Gaza flotilla, Braverman said there is much tension in the Israeli Arab community. "It is absolutely legitimate in a democracy for there to be demonstrations but Israeli Arab leaders have promised to act with restraint and I also told the Internal Security minister that the police should act to avoid contact with the Arab population," he said.[/quote][URL]http://www.haaretz.com/news/democracy-and-its-challenges/braverman-israel-should-embrace-its-arabs-haredim-1.293566#[/URL]

shit just got isreal

[just sayin'] He's NOT only refering to Arabs. And I don't know if to agree with that.

I agree except for the "we were one of the most equal societies." since the Arab's position was much worse in Israel's first few years, and it's constantly being improved. The problem isn't the state or the government here, it's the people. The government treats all citizens just fine, one of the few governments in the middle east where the Arabs can vote and influence it. The problem is the people who are sometimes racist and mostly kinda phobic of the Arab populace.

I find it interesting how they have placed Heredim and Arabs on the same footing. I was very much under the impression hat haredi Jews don't wish to be part of Israeli society because mostly Israeli society is 'secular' (note the quotes) and doesn't abide by their religious rules (they want men and women to be separated from each other on public transport for example). They want to live in their own neighbourhoods surrounded by each other (or at least they tend to in Jerusalem anyway). As for the situation of Arabs, it is as much as the attitudes of Jewish citizens as it is for the state to better integrate them. I would say perhaps positive discrimination is the way forward, but a lot of time this creates animosity with the majority population.

Most of the Haredi Jews don't care much about Israel, but only really few hate it. There are more Haredi Jews who love it than those who hate it, actually.