Israel's police chief cites failure of leadership in Arab sector
Middle East Newsline
SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Wednesday, May 17, 2000
TEL AVIV [MENL] -- Israel's police commander says the nation's Arab
minority is undergoing a process of radicalization.
Police Inspector General Yehuda Wilk said Arab leaders are refusing to
confront the phenomenon and tolerate or even encourage extremism against the
Jewish state.
"We are unfortunately witnessing a difficult trend in the Arab sector,"
Wilk said. "I want to distinguish between the extremist fringe and the Arab
population. I would want to hear the voice of the Arab leadership when the
flag of the state is burned. I didn't hear this voice."
Wilk's assertion echoed that of a senior police commander last week who
warned against rising Arab extremism. Leading politicians also expressed
concern that Israeli Arabs are increasingly identifying with Palestinian and
Lebanese guerrillas who battle Israel as Arab parliamentarians curry favor
with extremists.
"I see an unprecedented deterioration in relations between Arabs and
Jews," Haifa Mayor Amram Mitzna said. "I am very worried."
In Jerusalem, Abraham Dichter was appointed as the new head of the
General Security Service, responsible for internal security. At the
ceremony, President Ezer Weizman discouraged Dichter from using force when
dealing with Israel's Arabs.
"One must devote a lot of thought to them, a lot of time, and no small
amount of funds," Weizman said. "Some one million Arabs in this country are
not in a good situation."
Wednesday, May 17, 2000
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