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Quiz Yourself on 'Israeli Democracy'

Is it Israeli Democracy or "Jewish Democracy", you be the judge. Are you aware that:

Prior to the 1948 war, Palestinian Christians and Muslims were a two-third majority of the population of Palestine, who owned and operated 93% of Palestine's lands?
Prior to the 1948 war, most Israeli Jews were persecuted and dispossessed European Jews who made a one-third minority of the population?
Prior to the 1948 war, only on third of the Jews in Palestine were legal citizens of the country?
For Israel to become a "Jewish majority" it opted to expel and dispossess the two-third Palestinian majority?
80% of the Palestinian people were dispossessed from their homes, farms, and businesses and have been kept out for the past 54 years?
95% of Israel's lands (which is mostly owned by Palestinian refugees) is open for development to Jews only?
Only one of the 45 Zionist Jews who sign the Israeli "declaration of independence" on May 14th, 1948 was born in Palestine. The other 44 were mostly Jewish refugees who escaped their anti-Semitic Europe countries, such as Tsarist Russia, Germany, and Poland.
Israeli-Palestinian citizens live almost in segregated communities (or ghettos) because development is strictly limited outside their villages? Ironically, the word "ghetto" was invented to describe the living conditions of Eastern European Jews in Tsarist Russia!
For just being "Jewish" you gain an automatic citizenship in Israel? Plus tens of thousands of dollars in subsidies too.
Palestinian Muslims or Christians refugees, who were born in the country and later expelled, cannot gain Israeli citizenship? Of course, unless they convert to Judaism first!
Pretending to be Jewish in Israel is punishable by law with up to one year's imprisonment? On the other hand, if you pretend to be a Muslim or Christian the law does you no harm!
When the Palestine problem was created by Britain in 1917, more than 92% of the population of Palestine were Arabs and there were at that time no more than 56,000 Jews in Palestine? That Muslim, Christian, and Jewish Palestinians at that time lived in peace with each other?
Palestinians in the early 20th century owned 97.5% of the land, while Jews (native Palestinians and recent immigrants together) owned only 2.5% of the land?
Close to 4 million Palestinian Muslims and Christians are being subjected to Israeli laws that are different than the laws governing the 4.5 million Israeli Jews? Is this a "democratically" elected apartheid, or not, that is the question?
In the occupied West Bank there are "Jewish Roads" and "Non-Jewish Roads"?
Israel issues national identify cards where the religion of the card holder is clearly shown in bold type?
Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza drive vehicles with license plates that have different coloring than the cars driven by Israeli settlers?
Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza hold ID cards that are of different colors than the cards held by Israeli settlers?
The only form of Judaism recognized by the "Jewish state" is Orthodox Judaism, so most US Jews could not get married in Israel. Furthermore, the only conversion to Judaism recognized is Orthodox, so most US converts aren't Jewish enough.
Just prior to the 1948 war, Jews owned under 7% of Palestine's land, and to increase their share after the war, they passed the "Absentees' Law" which dispossessed the Palestinian majority land owners who later became "absent". What is even more tragic was the passage of an oxymoron law, called "Present Absentees' Law," which dispossessed the Palestinian-Israeli citizens who became internal refugees in Israel. It is worth noting that the internal Jewish refugees were not dispossessed as a result of this racist law.
The U.S. funneled into the Israeli economy over 130 billion dollars, which is almost twice the amount devoted to rebuilding Western Europe after WW II!
Israeli democracy is a facade for "Jewish Democracy?"
Israel has nuclear weapons, and it was close to dropping one on Cairo in 1973?
Israeli soldiers use human shields in battle to minimize their casualties?
Israel killed over 20,000 Lebanese and Muslims (90% of whom are civilians) with American made and paid for weapons?

The concept of "transferring" European Jews to Palestine and "transferring" the Palestinian people out is central to Zionism. Ben-Gurion, the 1st Israeli Prime Minister, eloquently articulated this essential Zionist pillar, he stated in 1944:

"Zionism is a TRANSFER of the Jews. Regarding the TRANSFER of the [Palestinian] Arabs this is much easier than any other TRANSFER. There are Arab states in the vicinity . . . . and it is clear that if the [Palestinian] Arabs are removed [to these states] this will improve their condition and not the contrary." (Expulsion Of The Palestinians, p. 159) Note the usage of the word "transfer" to signify the uprooting of the indigenous population to make room for Jewish refugees. Now a days this is a war crime called Ethnic Cleansing.

Based on our correspondence with many Zionists and their sympathizers in the West, we find the majority of them WISH to continue to live in the illusion that Palestine was empty and it was waiting for its "people to redeem it." But deep inside, they all suspect the Zionist narrative to be a farce. However, their memories of the Holocaust abstract them from reality and that makes them heartless. The Palestinian people has been underwriting their "Never Again" slogan with their homes, blood, and future since the establishment of the "Jewish state". For the average person this slogan may not sound harsh; after all European Jews suffered European anti-Semitism for centuries. On the other hand, to us, the Palestinian people, this slogan implies Never Again regardless of the price; Never Again period. Similarly, Holocaust memories (and the guilt associated with it) are the primary reasons why Western countries (who continue to parade the "Jewish state as the only democracy in the Middle East") turn a blind eye to Israeli war crimes and apartheid. In a nutshell, the Palestinian people are the messiah to whoever caused the Holocaust, turned a blind eye to it, or feel guilty for its victims.

If by accident we have missed facts that differentiate Israel from other democracies, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Posted on April 22, 2002

From: http://www.palestineremembered.com/Acre/Palestine-Remembered/Story811.html

A Mid East Change of Course

America in the Mideast - The Mideast in America

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