Netanyahu regrets ‘hurtful’ comments towards Israeli Arabs

Joint Arab List rejects PM’s apology; White House says ‘legitimate doubt’ that Israel wants 2-state solution

i24news.tv

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday apologized to Israeli Arabs for comments he made last week, admitting that his words were “hurtful.”

On March 17, election day, Netanyahu issued a call to right-wing supporters to go out and vote, saying “the Arabs are going to the ballot boxes in droves.”

During a meeting with representatives from minority sectors across Israel on Monday, however, Netanyahu expressed regret for the statement.

“I know that what I said a few days ago hurt some Israeli citizens, notably Israeli Arabs. This was not my intention and I’m sorry for that,” he said.

“My actions as prime minister, including the tremendous investment in minority sectors prove the opposite,” Netanyahu said. “I think, too, that we must never let anyone outside the state of Israel interfere with our democratic process.”

“I see myself as the prime minister of each and every one of you – all the citizens of Israel – regardless of faith, ethnicity or gender. I see all citizens of Israel as partners in building a prosperous and secure state for all its citizens.”

The Obama Administration commented on Netanyahu’s apology on Monday, saying it was “appropriate.”

“I think we’ve made pretty clear the serious concerns we had with those comments, so if that’s what he said it certainly seems appropriate,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said at a press conference on Monday.

Earnest added that there is still “legitimate doubt” about whether Israel actually wants to pursue a two-state solution.

Joint Arab List rejects apology

The newly formed Joint Arab list, which has become the third largest party in the Knesset, swiftly rejected Netanyahu’s apology, vowing to “continue our struggle for equality for the Arab population.”

“Unfortunately, Netanyahu and his government’s racism do not begin or end with this incitement,” a party statement read, slamming both the PM and the Knesset for “racist and discriminatory” policies.

Netanyahu’s apology comes a day after the Joint Arab List urged Israel’s attorney general to place the PM on trial for “incitement” against Israel’s Arab minority on election day.

Representatives of the party told President Reuven Rivlin that “a prime minister cannot be a person who chooses an election tactic of inciting against an entire population.”

President Barack Obama also expressed concern over Netanyahu’s comments, which some in the administration view as racist.

Rivlin on Monday met with representatives of the parties elected to Israel’s 20th Knesset, launching the process of forming the country’s next government.

“We have been through a stormy and acrimonious election campaign, this is the time to start a process of healing Israeli society,” Rivlin said at the start of his meeting with the Likud party delegates.

Yousef Jabareen, an attorney and expert in minority rights, said Netanyahu’s statements constituted incitement toward Arab citizens, who were simply fulfilling their basic right to vote.

“The prime minister presents the vote of citizens who suffer from discrimination as a source of fear and worry? In a normal country, a prime minister would encourage all citizens to get out and vote,” said Jabareen.

“Could anyone imagine a European leader saying in a video clip that he was worried about high voter turnout among Jews in his country? Such a politician would not stay an hour in his job, and rightly so. However, in Israel it seems that anything goes and there is no limit to racist discourse,” added Jabareen.

Another Arab lawmaker, Issawi Freij from the left-wing Meretz party, called on Rivlin Sunday to demand that Netanyahu apologize for his “racism.”

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