[27 May 2003, N&O]

Arabs in the Knesset

The writer of a May 19 People's Forum letter appeared to fabricate facts in support of Israel when she asked: "How can Israel have 'state-sponsored' racism when its 1 million-plus Arab citizen population elects 20 percent of the representatives to Israel's parliament?"

 In fact, only eight of the 120-member Knesset are Arabs, which is less than 7 percent, except in the mathematics of propaganda.

 Furthermore, Israeli law prohibits participation in the election by any candidate whose actions indicate "denial of the existence of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state." An analogous law would be one that prohibits black Americans from running for Congress if they deny that America is a white nation. Does that sound like "state-sponsored" racism?

John P. Crane