RUSI invites former Israeli official to discuss “problem” of Israel’s Arab citizens

By Redress Information & Analysis

20 August 2008

Britain's top defence think-tank, the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), has invited a former Israeli Foreign Ministry official to discuss the strategic “problem” of Israel’s Arab citizens, thereby signalling the British establishment's endorsement of Israel's racist worldview.

It would seem that the British defence establishment regards Israel's Arab citizens as a problem for both Israel and Britain.

Britain's United Services Institute (RUSI), a think-tank with close connections to the British Defence Ministry and other ministries, is to host an event on 19 September entitled “Israel’s Arab citizens: peering into the future”, starring Dr Haim Koren, former director of political planning at the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

According to RUSI,

"For decades, the status and fate of Israel’s Arab citizens has been a hotly disputed subject. They are full citizens of the state, but are not subjected to all the obligations of an Israeli citizen and – some argue – do not enjoy all the rights either. The difficult questions persist: who are these Arab citizens of Israel? Is their identity to be seen as merely a question of civic duties, or does it have wider strategic implications?..."

RUSI’s choice of words is worthy of note, in particular the passage which says that Israel’s Arab citizens “are full citizens of the state, but are not subjected to all the obligations of an Israeli citizen”. The passage is deliberately ambiguous, leaving enough room for some to believe that Israel’s Arab citizens enjoy privileges not available to Israeli Jews.

As for RUSI’s claim that some argue Israel’s Arabs “do not enjoy all the rights” enjoyed by Israeli Jews, this shows its true colours, for there is no doubt whatsoever that Israel’s Arab citizens suffer serious discrimination in every sphere of life, in a society that is deeply racist.

Finally, what possible “strategic implications” could the identity of Israel’s Arab citizens have for Britain? RUSI does not say it explicitly, but it would seem that it regards the threat to Israel’s Jewish numerical supremacy posed by the relatively high birth rate among Israel’s Arab population as also a threat to British strategic interests. If so, then this is really perplexing – unless RUSI’s definition of British interests is synonymous with that of Israeli racists.

There is no shortage of neutral, respected and authoritative speakers – Israeli Jews, Israeli Arabs and others – whom RUSI could have invited to discuss the status of Israel’s Arab citizens. Yet, it has chosen a former Israeli civil servant to define the “problem” of Israeli Arabs and, presumably, to offer a Zionist “solution”. This not only betrays RUSI’s inherent pro-Israel bias, but it also demonstrates that, as far as the British establishmment is concerned, what is good for racist, Zionist Israel is good for Britain.