Arab-Israeli lawmaker calls on Arabs to seek housing in Jewish communities

An Arab Joint List MK called on young Arab couples struggling to find housing in all-Arab communities to search in Jewish communities.

By: World Israel News Staff

Arab Joint List Member of Knesset Ahmed Tibi called on young Arab couples facing a shortage of housing in the Galilee region’s Arab communities to purchase apartments in the area’s Jewish cities and communities.

Tibi’s comments came as the Knesset debates a controversial nation-state of the Jewish people bill that would permit the creation of ethnically homogenous communities, whether all-Jewish or all-Arab.

The Supreme Court has ruled that blocking a family from living in a community based on religion or ethnicity is prohibited by Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty.

Tibi made the comments in an interview with Israel Hayom.

“In light of the housing and land shortage within Arab communities and the poor infrastructure there, I am calling on young people who wish to do so to go live in Jewish communities like Carmiel, Afula, Nazareth Illit and Harish, in addition to the mixed [Arab and Jewish] cities,” Israel Hayom quoted Tibi as saying.

Lawmakers amended the clause dealing with the creation of Jewish-only communities.

Instead of calling explicitly for the creation of Jewish-only communities the clause will say the following:

“The State of Israel sees in the development of Jewish settlements a national goal and will work for the advancement, establishment, and entrenchment of this goal.”