Arab member of the Israeli Knesset Azmi Bishara has confirmed that around 300 Jewish extremists had attacked his house in Nazareth late Saturday.
In a telephone interview with Albawaba.com Sunday, Bishara said the attack came “in an atmosphere of provocation and racism promoted by the Israeli official apparatus against the Arab inside Israel.”
The Mk charged that the Israeli police interference to stop the attack was limited, and it was the Arab citizens who stood in the face of the extremists and blocked their way to his residence.
“The police did not apprehend or interrogate any of the extremists,” he said, exclaiming “what if Arab citizens attacked a Jewish MK’s house?”
Bishara added that Israeli officials started a campaign of provocation against the political bloc he leads, the National Democratic Assembly, and revealed that the military intelligence and other agencies leaked information that the Assembly was responsible for the recent clashes.
According to Bishara, the Israeli police were unable to protect him, because “they are racists,” and themselves fired at him a year ago.
The Arab leader said he was not the only one inside the Green Line subject to racist violence.
“All the Arab citizens [in Israel] feel they cannot move around freely,” he said, revealing that many houses and shops belonging to Palestinians were burned down during Jewish attacks, and that a mosque in Tiberias was also the target of a fire attack.
Bishara said that the Israeli threats to escalate violence if the Intifada does not stop should be taken seriously if resistance is to survive. He added that it would not be the first time that Israel declares war on civilians. According to the politician, the new factor of the current developments is that Israel will fight the Palestinian Authority and its institutions, in a bid on the part of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak to impose, by force, the Israeli conditions for a political settlement for the conflict.
In the MK’s viewpoint, the Palestinians should cling to their demands during the negotiations with Israel because they represent the minimum requirements for an acceptable solution to the conflict.
Bishara expected that Barak wants the situation to get more complicated, and that new realities will emerge after the dust settles.
As far as Palestinians in Israel are concerned, they will have a role if confrontations start despite warnings from Barak, he said, adding that an imminent meeting of the Arab Israeli parties and political powers would “discuss what can be done.”
Bishara did not reveal further details on the meeting.
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
