(BLOG) Which Arabs?

"By Daniel Lewis: In 'Stop building settlements' (Forum, April 7) Luke Lavin makes a vague reference to laws that prohibit 'any Arab' from building in parts of Israel. Lavin fails to distinguish between Arab citizens of Israel, all of whom have full rights (and indeed more than in any Arab country), versus non-Israeli Arabs (such as Palestinians), who aren’t citizens and have no fewer building rights than any other non-citizen.

It’s quite simple. Yet in his predictable rush to slur Israel, Lavin ignores that Jews are not even permitted to enter Saudi Arabia, nor is there even a single Jew in Gaza. Ethnic cleansing and apartheid, anybody?

If Lavin really wants to discuss 'apartheid' with any credibility, he should start by looking at the Arab-Muslim states that have made it their law and daily practice to the point where there are Muslim-only roads, and Christians, Mormons and especially Jews are treated as lower classes (if they are even permitted to practice their religion freely).

It is sad that Lavin is more worried about Israeli bureaucrats than he is about despotic Arab governments that would imprison or torture someone for being the 'wrong' religion." (source)