April 18, 2001

In a press conference held Wednesday, April 18,2001, at Palestine Media Center, Dr.Ahmad Tibi, Arab member in the Israeli Knesset, said that the Israeli society is becoming more right wing, on an official and as well on a public level.

Dr. Tibi stated:

“When we say that the Israeli public becomes more right wing, we can give two examples. The first is electing Sharon and the second is the silence of the public concerning radical and fascist people like Avigdor Lieberman and Benjamin Ze’evi [Ghandi] being members of the government. If there would be elections held today the right wing parties would win it for sure.”

“Right now there are discussions between Likud and Labor party about re-arranging the occupation and not ending it. When they are talking about a “Palestinian state” it is only a trap that Sharon uses. Actually they think of a “dwarf” state without any sovereignty and Jerusalem under Israeli control.”

“Personal safety is the most important issue for the Israeli public and by electing Sharon they hoped to gain this safety but until now they did not reach this goal. I don’t think that there is a way for us [the Palestinians] to convince the Israeli public to end the occupation. But in the end they have to understand this [our] aim, because we see that the occupation even affects the personal safety of Israeli people.”

“The Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory in Beit Hanoun/Gaza is just a kind of propaganda trick. Sharon wants to show his people that he is gaining something during the current uprising and by withdrawing from Beit Hanoun he also wants to show the Palestinians and the rest of the world that he is flexible and makes concessions. Although Washington blamed Israel for using excessive and disproportionate force in Beit Hanoun they will keep on blaming Arafat for being not flexible and making no concessions.”