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Israel Bids To Bar Arabs From Parliament And Boost Media Influence
JERUSALEM, May 17 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - In a move that shattered all pretense of a democratic state, Israeli right-wingers are bidding to exclude Arab members from the country's parliament, amid crackdowns on journalists and plans for greater media control.
The Knesset approved Wednesday on first reading by 40 votes to 19 with two abstentions a bill that would bar from the house any person or party expressing support for a "terrorist" group or an enemy state. The bar would help silence sympathizers to Palestinian organizations fighting the Jewish state.
Right-wing Likud party MP Yisrael Katz, who sponsored the bill, said that Israeli Arab members of the Knesset had publicly expressed backing for organizations hostile to Israel.
"Those who back Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah or Tanzim will not be allowed to stand in the next legislative elections," he said, referring to two Palestinian groups, the Lebanese resistance movement and a Palestinian paramilitary organization, respectively, reported AFP news agency.
At the same time, the U.S. put pressure on Lebanon Wednesday when the House of Representatives approved a measure cutting U.S. aid to the Lebanese military until it secures the border with Israel and prohibits Hezbollah strikes from within its territory.
Katz acted on the parliamentary ban after Arab Israeli MP Ahmed Tibi accused Israel's military chief General Shaul Mofaz in parliament Sunday of being "a fascist responsible for the murder of Palestinian children and policemen."
Speaking in response to the bill Wednesday, Tibi's colleague Taleb al-Sanna called the move "racist", accusing Katz of leading a witch-hunt.
Israel's Arab community numbers more than a million, out of a total population of some 6.5 million, and is represented in parliament by 10 MPs out of 120.
Meanwhile, a new crackdown on Arab and Palestinian journalists in Israel was revealed on Israel Radio Thursday when an Israeli Arab journalist said he had been denied access to the prime minister's office, reported the Jerusalem Post.
The Post added that new regulations, as yet not officially announced, apply to Palestinian and Arab journalists concerning admittance to the prime minister's office.
The prime minister's office said that it is considering increased security measures in light of "the increasing frequency of terror attacks on Israeli targets," said the paper.
In yet another move to extend its influence and control over Arabs, Israel plans to boost its Arabic-language radio and television broadcasts and is considering setting up a special Arabic channel to counter Arab and especially Palestinian "propaganda," officials said Wednesday.
The head of the national broadcasting authority, Nahman Shai, told military radio that Arab audiences were receiving a "one-sided version" of Israel's ongoing violent conflict with the Palestinians.
An official of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office, which the radio said had approved a new television channel in principle, said the project was being studied.
"But to begin with and for budgetary reasons, we will rather give more powerful transmitters to the public radio station which broadcasts primarily in Arabic," the official said.
"We are also planning to obtain more powerful transmitters for our television service in order to cover the Middle East better. Only then are we considering launching a satellite television channel that could be received all over the region by individual dishes."
"The media are an essential front in the battle between us and the Palestinians," he added.
At present, Israel's public television puts out nearly two hours of Arabic-language programs daily, including a 30-minute news bulletin.
Israel frequently accuses the Palestinian broadcast media of putting out propaganda and inciting violence against Israelis in the nearly eight-month uprising against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The Israeli armed campaign against the Palestinians intensified Thursday with helicopter attacks and raids into Palestinian areas, saying it will hold on to some territory indefinitely "for military reasons."
Four Palestinians were wounded during a shelling attack on Khan Yunis refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip, hospital officials and witnesses said.
Troops also staged a new raid into an area under Palestinian control, destroying houses in the town of Qarara near Khan Yunis, the Palestinian Wafa news agency said.
Late Wednesday, Israeli helicopter gunships pounded Palestinian security buildings at another Gaza refugee camp and in the West Bank town of Jenin, wounding 14 civilians, security and medical sources said.
Israeli forces also conducted five raids into Palestinian land in Gaza in violation of the 1993 autonomy accords and international law, Palestinians said.
But unlike past incursions, which ended within hours, the Israeli army announced it planned to stay indefinitely in some captured houses.
"This is part of an ongoing mission to try to hit those who engage in terror directly ... in order to protect Israeli citizens and soldiers from multiplying attacks," said a close aide to Sharon, Avi Pazner.
Hardliner Sharon has already declared that no negotiations will take place while the violence continues.
Backing up Pazner, Public Security Minister Uzi Landau warned of an "all-out" confrontation to end the conflict.
"I believe eventually we will have to start and combat [the Palestinians] all out," said Landau, reported the BBC.
The Palestinians accused Israel of "terrorizing" the population with its invasions.
"All of these acts prove Israel's intentions to reject every effort that may help improving the peace process. The daily killings of Palestinians are a phenomenon of Israeli occupation," Palestinian national security commander Haj Ismail told Voice of Palestine radio.
Of the 537 people killed since the Palestinian uprising broke out in September, 442 have been Palestinians.
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