Israelis, Arabs do co-exist peacefully in Israel

Jack O’Neill takes me to task for offering “only one fact” to support the argument that Israel is not an apartheid state, however, it is clear he is blurring the distinction between discrimination against a minority as practised in Ireland against the Travelling community, and the segregationist policies of apartheid era South Africa (Letters, 26 October).

So here are just a few more facts that shred O’Neill’s argument: An Arab judge sits on the country’s highest court; an Arab is chief surgeon at a leading hospital; an Arab commands a brigade of the Israeli army; others head university departments. Arab and Jewish babies are born in the same delivery rooms, attended by the same doctors and nurses, and mothers recover in adjoining beds. Jews and Arabs travel on the same trains, taxis and – yes – buses. Universities, theatres, cinemas, beaches and restaurants are open to all (The Guardian, May 22). This co-existence is not by any means without cultural and social problems, but it is clear that a large percentage of Israeli Arabs have not just accepted their position in the Jewish state, but have begun to embrace the material and political benefits of being citizens of the only democracy in the region.

A study published by Haifa University’s Jewish-Arab centre on 7 May 2012, found that more than 90% of Arabs who had participated in non-combat service said they were satisfied with their experience and some 95.8% said they were proud to have done so.