One of the common accusations made against Israel is that it is an apartheid state.
Apartheid was a policy of racial separation in South Africa due to racial superiority.
In Israel Arabs have the same rights as Jews, serve in the Knesset, serve as judges, police officers, teachers and soldiers. There are certainly examples of racial tensions between communities… as there are in every country.
Palestinians cannot vote in Israel (just like the French cannot vote in the UK elections). They can vote in the Palestinian territories. The fact that their leadership doesn’t hold elections isn’t Israel’s fault, nor does this fact arouse concern from those who claim to be interested in the Palestinian peoples’ welfare.
Israel’s anti-terrorist barrier is cited as an example of apartheid since it separates people. In just a few years before the barrier was built, over 1,000 people were murdered in terror attacks emanating from Judea and Samaria (also known as the West Bank). The barrier virtually eliminated terror attacks.
The barrier separates on the basis of terror emanating areas as opposed to racial superiority, thus rendering the apartheid accusation inappropriate.
Whatsmore, there are dozens of examples of similar barriers the world over. Europe has constructed numerous fences, Spain/Morocco, Cyprus, India/Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia. The UK has its own barriers, known as the ‘peace line’, dividing Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods in Belfast. (In depth analysis of the uniqueness of Israel’s security barrier
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