Israel Matzav

Some apartheid state: 56% of Israeli Arabs voted in Knesset election

The 'international community' loves to call us an 'apartheid state.' Here's more proof that's a lie: 56% of 'Israeli Arabs' voted in last week's election.

“The high voting rates reflect the will of the Arab public to take part in the Israeli political process,” The Abraham Fund Initiatives – an NGO promoting coexistence and equality among Israel’s Jewish and Arab citizens, said in a report released on Wednesday.

Despite a previous downward trend in Arab voting, this election showed that the Arab public believes in their representatives in the Knesset and in their ability to promote Arab interests, according to the report.

Amnon Beeri-Sulitzeanu, co-executive director of The Abraham Fund, told The Jerusalem Post that the voting data showed a higher turnout rate than the 53% in 2009.

“We have been working hard to get out the Arab vote regardless of who they were voting for, just as long as they would use their civic right to vote,” Beeri-Sulitzeanu said.

...

Kafr Kasim, near Rosh Ha’ayin, led the Arab sector with close to 80% turnout, according to the Central Elections Committee.

Other major Arab population centers also had a high turnout: Jaljulya at 70%, Kafr Bara 59%, Taibe 60%, Tira 59%, Rahat 57%, Umm el-Fahm 57% and Sakhnin around 80%.

Some interesting results were seen in the Arab sector, for example in Kafr Kasim, where 12 votes were cast for Bayit Yehudi, 33 for Shas and one for Strong Israel. Many other Arab towns cast small numbers of votes for right-wing Zionist parties. For example in Sakhnin, in the Western Galilee, Strong Israel received nine votes, Shas 31 and United Torah Judaism 22.

Name me one country in the Arab world where Arabs are free to vote for the candidates and parties of their choice....

Labels: Israeli apartheid, Israeli Arab, Knesset elections 2013

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:56 PM