Thanks David,

Israeli Arabs could serve in the armed forces if they wished to ? But not if they don't want to ?

The education system sounds scandalous for Israeli Arabs. I would certainly support an integrated system, ideally of all three.

Okay, Jews have a right of return, but not Palestinians - you got me there :) Hopefully, down the track, that right may be extended.

Cheers,

Joe

Dear Joe,

Israeli Arabs may volunteer to serve in the armed forces if they want. For many of them however, that would mean being ostracised by their friends and families. Some Bedouin Arabs do serve and one of them reached the rank of colonel and received the highest distinction for his bravery: http://www.nrg.co.il/images/archive/465x349/1/456/962.jpg

Arab children are welcome to enrol in general/secular state-schools, but the classes there are conducted in Hebrew, not in Arabic which is the language they speak at home. However, David F. omitted that there is yet another type of schools: "state-religious" (Mamlachti dati), and those receive a higher budget per student than the general/secular state schools. To be accepted, one must commit to a certain standard of a Jewish-religious life-style, which I cannot see how a Muslim can fulfil. In any case, non-Jews are definitely not allowed to teach in those schools. The law prohibits these schools from discriminating on the grounds of [Jewish] denomination, but that carefully conceals the demand for being Jewish.

Dear Yuyutsu,

I omitted mentioning about the "state-religious" because I didn't know about them. I believe that no country should treat any citizen differently from any other citizen due to ethnicity or religion. A Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist country makes such distinctions.