Uri Davis, author of ‘Israel: An apartheid State' has become the legal expert. I am unsure though how a doctorate in Philosophical Anthropology entitles one to comment on the legal system of a country. I am however certain that Uri Davis has, as his primary intention, the demise of Israel. In the words of Iqbal Jassat of the Media Review Network, Uri Davis is ‘ best known for articulating the vision....(of) ...the dismantling of Zionist Israel towards its replacement with a democratic Palestine.'
There we have it Mr Vawda. Before I go any further let's just admit that your aim, the aim of that of your organization, that of IAW and the BDS has nothing to do with the Israel/Palestine conflict but rather the eradication of the State of Israel. Once we have reached consensus on that, let me put the following to you.
Israel is a democracy with every single citizen fully enfranchised. This means that every citizen, irrespective of race, colour or religion has recourse to an independent judiciary. In 2002, in an Israel Supreme Court ruling Chief Justice Aharon Barak said: " The principle of equality prohibits the state from distinguishing between its citizens on the basis of religion or nationality." He said farther: "The principle also applies to the allocation of state land....The Jewish character of the state does not permit Israel to discriminate between its citizens."
This recourse to law includes Palestinians living in the West Bank who are not Israeli citizens. In actual fact Palestinians from the West Bank are governed by the Palestinian Authority who has set laws and regulations for the 98% of the Palestinians living under its jurisdiction, and who has ironically stated that no Jew will be welcome in a future Palestinian state. So much for Apartheid.
With reference to the five laws mentioned as an example of Israel's racism I suggest that the short comment following each precludes any form of context. Among others, you fail to mention that the ‘Land Acquisition Law' allows for compensation (monetary or other) upon acquisition. Land is not simply seized as you suggest. If however Israel does something that is seen to infringe on the rights of an individual or group then there is recourse to the Israeli Supreme Court.
In 2004, Israeli Supreme Court judges ruled that the route of the security fence should be moved and spoke as follows: "We are aware that this decision does not make it easier to deal with that reality (terrorism). This is the destiny of a democracy: she does not see all means as acceptable and the ways of her enemies are not always open before her. A democracy must sometimes fight with one arm tied behind her back."
In an attempt to prove racism Vawda sites the ancient Jewish Orthodox burial practice of not allowing non-Jews to be buried with Jews. Mr Vawda I will not lower myself to apologise to you for, or to explain to you about, our ancient Jewish traditions. Traditions that have kept us a people for 5000 years, traditions that allowed us to survive the Holocaust and traditions that have allowed us to build a vibrant democracy amidst a sea of death and destruction.
Traditions that ensure that we open field hospitals to care for the Syrian wounded in a war that has seen close on 200,000 killed by their own people. Traditions that ensure that we treat the granddaughter of Hamas Prime-Minister, Ismael Haniyeh. Nor will I apologise to you for the fact that Israel is a Jewish state, the only Jewish state in the world, 1/6th of 1% the land mass of the Arab world.
In 2008, the Harvard Kennedy School conducted a study entitled: ‘Co-existence in Israel: A National Study.' Respondents were interviewed in either Hebrew or Arabic. The study found that 77% of the Arabs living in Israel would rather live in Israel than any other country in the world. Need I say more, Mr Vawda?
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