Thursday, October 9, 2014

"Remove Israel from That Map!"



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"Remove Israel from That Map!"

by Khaled Abu Toameh  •  October 9, 2014 at 5:00 am
The uproar that erupted throughout the Arab world over the use of a map with Israel's name on it is yet another reminder that many Arabs still have not come to terms with Israel's existence -- and apparently are not interested in coming to terms with it.
The protestors were not demanding a two-state solution and an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. They were protesting against Israel's existence; that is what really bothers them.
How can anyone seriously expect that, if Israel pulled back to the pre-1967 lines, the Arab world will consider the "Israeli-Arab Conflict over?"
This conflict is not about a settlement or a checkpoint or a fence -- but about Israel's very existence. To make peace with Israel, the Arab world needs to prepare its people for such a move, and not incite violence against Israel and demand that it be removed from maps.
Israeli citizen Manal Moussa, shown in this image appearing on the "Arab Idol" show, is labeled on-screen with "Palestine" as her country of residence.
The Saudi MBC TV network was recently forced to apologize to its hundreds of millions of viewers for using the name Israel instead of Palestine.
The apology came after viewers strongly condemned the network and threatened to boycott its programs over the use of a map with Israel's name on it.
The reason Israel appeared on the MBC's map was because of the participation of two Arab citizens of Israel in its popular Arab Idol contest. The show, based on the popular British show Pop Idol, is the most widely viewed in the Arab world.
The two Arab Israelis, Manal Moussa, 25 and Haitham Khalailah, 24, are from villages in northern Israel. They are among many contestants from all over the Arab world who are performing songs on stage in front of four judges and the public.
This is the first time that Arab Israelis have participated in the popular show.

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