MK Abed Al-Malik Dahamshe (United Arab List) has been representing Israel’s Arab citizens democratically in the Knesset for nine years.
In a recent question-and-answer session for the Internet portal Islam Online, Dahamshe was asked to comment on how he saw developments in the Middle East as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, hospitalized with a debilitating stroke, moves off the political stage.
Dahamshe, whose views regarding the State of Israel are reflective of other Arab MKs, responded by severely maligning Sharon, calling him the "butcher of the Palestinian people," "a criminal," and a man "swimming in Palestinian blood."
Some excerpts from interview follow, as a way of providing a window into the hearts and minds of some Arab Members of Knesset. (More excerpts can be seen on the website of Palestinian Media Watch.
Question:
"First of all the end of Sharon should not concern the Muslims. He was a butcher and part of a state which will not exist within the next 50 years. Partly due to the increasing Muslim population who have Israeli passports. If Israel is a true democracy then demographically the Muslims will outnumber the Jews and could vote out the zionist [sic] regime. My question is as the Muslim population within Israel increases will the Knesset experience a shift in its views?"
Dahamshe:
"…I was one of the most hostile parliament members against Sharon in the Parliament and I was never afraid to describe him as the butcher of the Palestinian people, and that he is a criminal who killed hundreds of Palestinians and Arabs, specifically the Egyptian prisoners and Sabra and Shateela [sic].
"I told him in person one day, when he said he is [sic] not going to release Palestinian prisoners because their hands are stained with blood, I told how dare you say this while you have been swimming in the [sic] Palestinian blood and here you are the Prime Minister.
" I also advised him to go to hell and leave his responsibilities for somebody else if he doesn't end the bloodshed and give the two people the chance to get out of the circle of violence...
"And when Sharon came to the Parliament and he wanted to withdraw from Gaza and dismantle its settlements and some of those in northern West Bank, I declared my position and the positions of United Arab List that we will not raise our hands against any withdrawal.
"This was when other Arab parties in the Parliament opposed the disengagement plan ... I told my Arab colleagues, that this historical event, and destruction of settlements by Sharon himself, who's the only one capable of this, and all of this will happen within specific timetable...
"Who should be worried from losing [sic] Sharon? It's the Israeli people and the Israeli politics [sic] that seemed to be as children who lost their father. For the Palestinian people, I am not concerned about the presence or the absence of Sharon, what worries me, the chaos across the Palestinian territories.
"The Palestinians have struggled for many years, during two intifadas, and throughout this time they have maintained their national unity, destroying Sharon's dreams, the Israeli hero which Israel overwhelmingly agreed that he is the only one who's capable of maintaining the security for Israel and like the other Israeli leaders. Because Sharon won many wars he convinced his people that he can provide them with security.
"He asked for 100 days to secure Israel, he was given much more time, and eventually came to the Knesset saying that the conflict with Palestinians cannot be solved only by the military machine but also with other tools...
"Because of the steadfastness and tolerance of the Palestinian people, they have absorbed the Sharonist violence throughout many years in which Sharon has practiced unlimited violence against the innocent people and their leaders.
"He has destructed [sic] cities and uprooted trees while whole world [sic] witnessing this with silence of Washington and most the European and even the Arab countries who stopped even condemning the Sharonist war crimes against Palestinians...
"For the Palestinian people it's better for be [sic] unified against the outside threats. We should rebuild ourselves from the inside and we shouldn't be worried of what may come from the outside ... because if we are strong from the inside we will be able to face any sort of danger."
[Islam Online, January 6, 2005].
In a recent question-and-answer session for the Internet portal Islam Online, Dahamshe was asked to comment on how he saw developments in the Middle East as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, hospitalized with a debilitating stroke, moves off the political stage.
Dahamshe, whose views regarding the State of Israel are reflective of other Arab MKs, responded by severely maligning Sharon, calling him the "butcher of the Palestinian people," "a criminal," and a man "swimming in Palestinian blood."
Some excerpts from interview follow, as a way of providing a window into the hearts and minds of some Arab Members of Knesset. (More excerpts can be seen on the website of Palestinian Media Watch.
Question:
"First of all the end of Sharon should not concern the Muslims. He was a butcher and part of a state which will not exist within the next 50 years. Partly due to the increasing Muslim population who have Israeli passports. If Israel is a true democracy then demographically the Muslims will outnumber the Jews and could vote out the zionist [sic] regime. My question is as the Muslim population within Israel increases will the Knesset experience a shift in its views?"
Dahamshe:
"…I was one of the most hostile parliament members against Sharon in the Parliament and I was never afraid to describe him as the butcher of the Palestinian people, and that he is a criminal who killed hundreds of Palestinians and Arabs, specifically the Egyptian prisoners and Sabra and Shateela [sic].
"I told him in person one day, when he said he is [sic] not going to release Palestinian prisoners because their hands are stained with blood, I told how dare you say this while you have been swimming in the [sic] Palestinian blood and here you are the Prime Minister.
" I also advised him to go to hell and leave his responsibilities for somebody else if he doesn't end the bloodshed and give the two people the chance to get out of the circle of violence...
"And when Sharon came to the Parliament and he wanted to withdraw from Gaza and dismantle its settlements and some of those in northern West Bank, I declared my position and the positions of United Arab List that we will not raise our hands against any withdrawal.
"This was when other Arab parties in the Parliament opposed the disengagement plan ... I told my Arab colleagues, that this historical event, and destruction of settlements by Sharon himself, who's the only one capable of this, and all of this will happen within specific timetable...
"Who should be worried from losing [sic] Sharon? It's the Israeli people and the Israeli politics [sic] that seemed to be as children who lost their father. For the Palestinian people, I am not concerned about the presence or the absence of Sharon, what worries me, the chaos across the Palestinian territories.
"The Palestinians have struggled for many years, during two intifadas, and throughout this time they have maintained their national unity, destroying Sharon's dreams, the Israeli hero which Israel overwhelmingly agreed that he is the only one who's capable of maintaining the security for Israel and like the other Israeli leaders. Because Sharon won many wars he convinced his people that he can provide them with security.
"He asked for 100 days to secure Israel, he was given much more time, and eventually came to the Knesset saying that the conflict with Palestinians cannot be solved only by the military machine but also with other tools...
"Because of the steadfastness and tolerance of the Palestinian people, they have absorbed the Sharonist violence throughout many years in which Sharon has practiced unlimited violence against the innocent people and their leaders.
"He has destructed [sic] cities and uprooted trees while whole world [sic] witnessing this with silence of Washington and most the European and even the Arab countries who stopped even condemning the Sharonist war crimes against Palestinians...
"For the Palestinian people it's better for be [sic] unified against the outside threats. We should rebuild ourselves from the inside and we shouldn't be worried of what may come from the outside ... because if we are strong from the inside we will be able to face any sort of danger."
[Islam Online, January 6, 2005].