Meretz: It’s Racist To Reward Those Who Serve The Public

Gal-On, trying to look as nonwhite as possible.

Jerusalem, May 18 – Parties on the left portion of Israel’s social spectrum are denouncing the Finance Ministry’s recent proposal to exempt from sales tax the first home purchase by anyone who has served in the army or civilian National Service, calling the idea inherently racist.

The vast majority of Israel’s Arab population does not perform either form of service, and Meretz chairwoman MK Zahava Gal-On is calling the policy a blatant attempt to discriminate against an entire population for choosing not to serve the society it inhabits.

“This is a shameful, cynical attempt to deny equal rights to a full fifth of the population just because they face social and ideological pressures not to give anything back to the country in which they have citizenship,” she told reporters at a press conference Sunday morning. “It is downright racist to insist that citizenship carries duties as well as benefits.”

MK Dov Hanin of the Hadash party concurred. “It is perfectly within the rights of any citizen to demand the full benefits of government programs without exhibiting the slightest sense of obligation toward that government, freeloading on the other citizens who make actual sacrifices,” he said. “Moreover, anyone who claims to be a victim of discrimination should be allowed to live as a sponge on the resources of the state.”

The racism claim has complicated efforts to ally with Haredi parties in opposition to the measure. The bulk of Haredi opponents are Ashkenazi, the same ethnic background as the political elite behind the proposal; their opposition to it stems from the community’s practice of full-time Torah study instead of civil or military service and higher secular education. However, Haredi political leaders have been willing to argue against the benefit specifically on racism grounds, even though in general they are at loggerheads with, for example, Meretz, over religious issues.

“Our meal ticket is threatened, and if this is the strongest weapon in our arsenal to fight that, so be it,” explained Rabbi Moshe Gafni of United Torah Judaism. “We happen not to care about racism, really, considering our positions on conversions, Ethiopians, Russian immigrants, and whatnot, but it’s a cudgel that works.”

In the meantime, developers have also expressed objections to the plan, saying it impedes the complete erasure of Israel’s middle class.