Israel 'discriminates' says US State Department
Reageer (0)By Teymoor Nabili
Photo by AFP
19-11-2009
For the first time, the annual survey has accused Israel of "discrimination" against not only Muslims, but Christians and non-orthodox Jews too, and of generating trouble among the groups.
The U.S. State Department's 2009 Report on International Religious Freedom went almost entirely un-noticed by the international media.
In fact, I missed it entirely too, until the section on Israel suddenly generated some attention in the blogosphere, sometimes from unexpected quarters.
For the first time, the annual survey has accused Israel of "discrimination" against not only Muslims, but Christians and non-orthodox Jews too, and of generating trouble among the groups.
"Both Muslim and Christian Palestinians accused Israeli officials of attempting to foster animosity among Palestinians by exaggerating reports of Muslim-Christian tensions."
The first substantive mention of the report in Israeli media seems to have been an editorial in Yedioth on Wednesday, (text here) in which the Chairwoman of the New Israel Foundation laments :
"According to the report, Israel has failed in every parameter of equality, liberty, and openness towards a variety of religious currents."
Orthodox groups reacted too. The National Council of Young Israel said:
“It just seems somewhat strange that with real issues of international significance facing the U.S. on multiple fronts at this time, including Iran, they would choose [now] to attack Israel, their only democratic ally and friend in the region,”
But since the report is an annual release and covers almost 200 countries, it seems reasonable to assume it was not a direct attack upon Israel.
The NIF's Naomi Chazan strikes a more sober tone, saying:
"The State Department’s report is just a warning light, showing sincere friendly concern. It should be viewed as a signal from a faraway friend relating the grave state we are in."
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