Wednesday, December 15, 2010
A Petition against Racism in Israel
A Petition Demanding Action against the Racists Calling for People to
Refuse to Rent and Sell Property to "Unwanted" Outsiders
By Steven Plaut
As you know, a bigoted racist minority in Israel is issuing calls
for people to refuse to rent and sell real estate to those considered
by these bigots as "people who do not belong." The racists demand
that those who are NOT part of their same cultural group be excluded
from their communities. By excluding outsiders, these people are
demonstrating their intolerance, their bigotry and their prejudices.
Some of the bigots issuing the call to discriminate themselves hold
public offices. There can be no excuse for this sort of
discrimination in a democracy. Enlightened people in Israel must
speak out against these calls to discriminate and against these
attempts to exclude members of the persecuted minority being targeted.
Calls to refuse to sell and rent property to the victims of this
discrimination are illegal, and those issuing the calls must be
prosecuted under Israel's anti-racism law.
In light of all of the above, we, the undersigned, hereby demand
the immediate prosecution of the residents of Ramat Aviv who have
issued calls to refuse to rent and sell property to Lubavichers and to
other Orthodox and observant Jews seeking to live in Ramat Aviv. Such
racism cannot be tolerated in 21st century Israel. Similarly, we
demand that the Hebrew University professors and their accomplices who
have been demanding that no property be sold or rented to Jews in
"Sheikh Jarrah," in "Silwan," and in other parts of East Jerusalem be
immediately indicted under Israel's anti-racism laws as racist
inciters.
All enlightened Israelis are invited to sign this statement.