Arab-Israelis: Holocaust Optional

"Israel: Holocaust is Denied in Survey," A12 (World Briefing), by The Associated Press

In an article that was much more deserving of a deeper analysis (rather than the mere 85 words the briefing was given), the Times reports that a University Haifa of survey found that 41% of Arab-Israelis don’t believe the Holocaust happened, up from 28% in 2006.

The survey’s director, Arab-Israeli sociologist Sammy Smooha, “thinks the increase signals a rising frustration among Arabs, who say they believe that recognizing the Holocaust gives justification to Israeli policies.”

So it’s about Arab-Israeli grievances over (Jewish-) Israeli actions? What about Arab-Israeli accountability for their radicalism? Do not Arab-Israelis have their own agency or are they simply reactionary pawns to Israel’s behavior?

The article also fails to note, among other radical postures exposed in the survey, that 12.6% of Arab-Israelis now believe that “any means, including military, should be used to improve their conditions” (up from 5.5% in 2003). Additionally, “47% of local Arabs object to having a Jewish neighbor” and 22% believe Israel has no right to exist.

What seems most disturbing though is how historical fact and truth seem to be optional for many Arab-Israelis depending on their attitudes toward Israel. However, there exists no grievance to justify the denial of historically documented fact. Truth is not discretionary.