The Arab news agency Maan seems to have some source within the Israeli media which is feeding them information about the Azmi Bishara case:
The same [Israeli newspaper] source revealed that Dr Bishara was interrogated over $ 5-million which he allegedly received recently via moneychangers in Jerusalem. In this regard, police have arrested two moneychangers in Jerusalem.
Informed sources close to the NDA [Balad] denied reports about the missing $5 million. The sources claimed the reports are part of a campaign against the NDA and its chairman who is well-known for his nationalistic and patriotic stance.
In a telephone call with Ma’an, Palestinian member of Israeli Knesset, Dr Jamal Zahalka, denied the story and warned the media of “falling prey to false allegations targeting the reputation of Dr Azmi Bishara.”
Meanwhile, Israeli security sources stated that Bishara left Israel after learning that the Israeli security intends to interrogate him on the basis of a telephone call he had with Hezbollah. The call was tapped by Israeli security during the war in Lebanon last July.
I’d like to know more about the Israeli source for this story before attaching any credibility to it. But if there IS any credibility, I’m concerned over the wording regarding the “missing $5-million.” Is Bishara charged with embezzling or merely receiving it? If he received it, was it used or to be used for his party? If the latter, I’d be willing to fight that charge. Where else is Balad supposed to find funds to fight its campaign for Arab political equality? Will the Israeli government support them? Will poor Israeli Arabs themselves find the money to do so? Besides, before we talk about Balad’s or Bishara’s corruption shouldn’t we talk about Ariel Sharon’s and his sons’ similarly corrupt behavior? What about Shas? What political party hasn’t acted corruptly in financing its activities?
And as for the call to Hezbollah, it all depends on what was said during the call and whether the Shin Bet’s characterization of the call is accurate and provable.
Finally, let’s make no mistake. No matter what happened, this case reveals that the Shin Bet sees Bishara as a real threat to Israel. He is a charismatic political figure and forceful representative of his people’s interests. Such political figures are always viewed as threats by Israel. There are always attempts to destroy them. We also know from the Shin Bet itself as reported by Haaretz that it has declared outright war against the Israeli Arab nationalist parties.
If this attempt succeeds, it will not only be Bishara or his constituents who lose. It will be the entire state of Israel because the possibility of mutual coexistence of Jews and Arabs within a single state will have been destroyed. There are Israeli rightists who would welcome the opportunity to finally clarify the Jewish exclusivist nature of Israel. But they are dead wrong in believing that this would allow Israel to gain some semblance of normalcy or social equilibrium. It will damage Israel’s internal psyche deeply AND mark Israel forever in the world’s eyes as a failed state. Not failed in the sense that Somalia is a failed state. But failed in the sense that it refused to live up to the values inscribed in its own Declaration of Independence as propounded by its founding fathers and mothers. And failed to live up to the spirit of modern Zionism as espoused by figures like Ahad Ha’am. It would be a body blow to the Zionist dream.
In the meantime, I laugh a bitter laugh when I read Ynetnews’ coverage of Ehud Olmert’s speech at Yad Vashem on Yom Ha-Shoah:
“Here, in the State of Israel, we shall build a society that is the complete opposite of the agenda of evil that sought to destroy us. We shall uproot any form of discrimination, any shred of racism, extremism and xenophobia. This is our historic duty and the call of Israel’s conscience,” Olmert added.
He lies almost as well as George Bush. Or should I say he lies almost as shamelessly, since neither he nor Bush lie particularly well?
Hat tip to Sol Salbe for the Maan link.
No matter what the charges are and no matter how credible they are, this is only the beginning of Azmi Bisharat’s career and the Shin Bet is building it for him. We should learn to recognize the new face of the Arab civil rights movement.
Just to clarify, by “his people’s interests,” do you mean Israelis, Israeli Arabs, or Palestinians? If “his people” are the Palestinians, don’t you think his presence in the Knesset presents a conflict of interest?
No greater “conflict of interest” than saying or believing that Ehud Olmert in some sense represents the interest of My people, that is the Jewish people. And this brings me to the utter hypocrisy of trying to charge Bishara with being the agent of a foreign state (if the $5 million charge regarding Syria is true). Israeli politicians accept funds from rich Jewish uncles in the Diaspora all the time. Israel itself accepts huge levels of contributions fr Diaspora communities. If Israeli Jews can accept such funding fr. THEIR people, why cannot Israeli Arabs accept funding fr. their people, that is the neighboring Arab states?
Besides, that isn’t what I meant. By “his people,” I meant those he represents, that is the Israeli Arabs.
Israeli Arabs could accept money from neighboring states provided that they are not at war with Israel. If Cynthia McKinney accepted money from Iran for another run at the US house of representatives, that would constitute a liability for her, and Iran and the US are not even technically at war. If Israeli Jews accepted money from Iran, they would likely attract the attention of the Shin Bet as well. In terms of Jewish racists, Meir Kahane is dead (killed by those involved in the first World Trade Center bombing), and Avigdor Lieberman wouldnt have a following if it werent for Bishara. Once I asked Arab workmen why they were helping to build a house in pre-1967 Israel when they were opposed to Israel. I got a really good answer. They said that they will inherit the houses once the Jews leave
When people make large money contributions they usually do it because they expect a return (some do it for purely ideological reasons). If a businessman makes a contribution he might expect some sort of favor or advantage later on. That is why there are laws governing contributions. There are limits and they must be reported. If an enemy nation makes a political contribution, particularly secretly, then this must be investigated. This so obvous.
You must be kidding. I don’t think there is a court in the world that would accept that lame argument. “I couldn’t raise money myself so I took money secretly from my countries enemies.”
They certainly could. However, aligning oneself with foreign governments or organizations has consequences. Because of such close a political relationship, the international community associates Israel with the Iraq War. If Bishara wishes to align himself with Arab governments, he becomes associated with the policies of those governments. It so happends that many Arab governments are hostile to Israel. By extension, Bishara will be scrutinized more closely than others.
I wish you’d read the other comments in this thread. I’ve already noted that Israel is not at war with Syria. And Israel has a problem because a significant minority of its population doesn’t see Syria as its enemy. So unless it wishes to criminalize every single Israeli Arab who sees things as Bishara does or wishes to forcibly expel them fr. Israel this will be an insoluble problem.
Conversely, Azmi Bishara wouldn’t espouse views as hostile to Israel as a Jewish state if it weren’t for pols like Lieberman & all the other Arab haters in the Knesset.
We do not know what Bishara is accused of so we do not know for sure whether any nation made a political contribution. Second, can you prove to me that Syria is considered an “enemy” nation? Under what terms & what law?
Let ’em investigate. But they will have to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the contribution was made, by whom, & they will have to prove what it was used for. Let ’em try.
Neither Bishara, nor Israeli Arabs, nor many Israeli Jews nor I accept yr terms. They do not see Syria as an enemy. I don’t see Syria as a friend either. But certainly a future partner for peace, a peace that could come in 6 months were Olmert willing according to a recent Syrian-American witness before a Knesset committee, should not be viewed as it was when it went to war with Israel in 1967.
As well he should. I’m not saying were I him that I would’ve chosen the path or made the choices he has. But if you think about radical historical figures like Malcolm X or even Patrick Henry, they didn’t exactly choose the easy way. They chose the hard way. They chose to alienate rather than to reconcile. But history hasn’t necessarily judged them the worse for their intransigence.
I think you’re stretching here. When peace talks begin with Syria, then we can talk about it as a future partner for peace. Presently, it’s clear to me that the Israeli and Syrian governments are mutually hostile. We’re talking about a state that refuses to even acknowledge Israel’s right to exist, a state that has invaded Israel repeatedly, and that provided aid to those who engaged in terrorism against Israel. Regardless of whether you think any of that was justified, it certainly qualifies Syria as a national enemy.
That’s just the thing. Peace talks could begin tomorrow, next week, next month. Suleiman said it to the Knesset. Assad has said it numerous times to anyone who would listen. The fact that they don’t is not Syria’s fault but Israel’s. Olmert has always refused. Olmert is the obstacle to peace.
Of course they could. But they won’t. I’m not touching the issue of who’s responsible for obstructing peace talks (mostly b/c I know we won’t agree). The point here is that, for time being, Israel and Syria are not best buddies. More importantly, they may have mutual exclusive interests.
I agree. But they are NOT at war & anyone who says as much has their head in the sand. Further, they both have one critical interest in common: PEACE. Eventually, that will triumph over whatever divides them.
I think that formally, although Israel and Syria are not in a war, they are in a state of “cease fire”.
Syria is definitely considered in Israel to be an enemy state.
Not by Israeli Arabs. So the question is is Azmi Bishara compelled to tailor his behavior to the dictates of the Israeli Jewish majority even though it violates both his political beliefs & conscience, not to mention that it flies in the face of good sense (since someday fairly soon there will be peace bet. Syria & Israel).
Also, a majority of Israelis are in favor of Israel negotiating with Syria. Should Bishara go to prison for doing something most Israelis believe their own government should be doing–that is, talking to Syria??
I make no argument that Bishara is a popular dude or even a nice guy as far as Israeli Jews are concerned. He ‘s a great big pain in the ass. But does that mean you want to turn him into a martyr for the cause? Turn him into a Mandela for his people (you’ll recall that he spent decades in confinement on Robben Island)? I think not unless you want to replicate the South African apartheid experience.
Not by Israeli Arabs.
When I said that Syria is considered an enemy state, I was referring to your comment that Israel and Syria are not at war.
I’m strictly against the Israeli government persecuting law abiding citizens – be they Jewish, Arab or of any other nationality. I also think that the Israeli government should be talking to Syria. That doesn’t change the fact that according to Israeli law, Syria is an enemy state, and that Israeli law forbids ordinary citizens from visitnig an enemy state.
That said, I don’t think the Israeli authorities are after Bishara because of his visit to Syria. Azmi Bishara is a member of the Knesset, and so has immunity from being prosecuted for illegal actions that clearly support his political agenda. (Disclaimer: I’m not a lawyer or political analyst, so I may be wrong here).