Bedouin Muslim vouches for Israel’s democracy

JORDAN MOSHE

Khaldi is in South Africa to help stem the anti-Israel sentiment on university campuses during Israel Apartheid Week. “I am often asked why, as a Muslim Bedouin, I choose to represent Israel. The answer is simply, because I can. The democracy in Israel allows me to assume this role, through which I can represent not only the country, but my own Bedouin community as well.”

When he lost two close friends who were serving in the border police in the first Intifada, Khaldi chose to join the foreign ministry in order to make a difference.

“The world is full of conflict,” he explains. “However, all eyes are fixed on Israel, the narrative of which has become more about bashing than dialogue. We need to create a new base of understanding, encouraging those who criticise Israel most loudly to sit down and engage properly.”

To this end, Khaldi visited South Africa this week, for the third time, to engage with students and give a face to both Israel and its Bedouin community.

My father joined me on one of my visits, and we went to the Apartheid Museum and Soweto together. The experience remains with me until today.

“The Palestinian conflict has absolutely nothing to do with the history of South Africa. Comparing the two is wrong.

“Israel is by no means a perfect country, but it does want to see Palestinians in their own state. Unlike the way in which the black people were treated under the apartheid regime who were South African, the Palestinians are not Israelis, and thus any attempts to compare their positions are inaccurate and shameful.”

Khaldi said BDS supporters often speak from a place of emotion instead of understanding and are therefore unable to engage meaningfully when the opportunity for dialogue arises.

Moreover, he says, it is clear that their basis of hatred is mostly anti-Semitic, and that unless they realise this, they will not be able to discuss the subject in the right way. “Aggression towards Israel on campuses in South Africa has definitely increased. The truth is that when these BDS supporters try to argue a point, one response from a person who is familiar with the facts can derail them and show them just how flawed their argument really is.

“Unfortunately, those who argue the loudest are often part of a minority that has their minds completely poisoned, and any attempts to engage with them are therefore almost useless.”

He suggests that instead of approaching this minority, students would do well to engage with the majority, who are not privy to the facts on the ground and are more willing to be educated than we may think.

“Throughout the year, it is essential that students who advocate for Israel engage constantly with this majority and improve relations with them.

“They can be invited to visit Israel to meet with the Palestinians for themselves and better understand who these people really are.”

Khaldi stressed the importance of initiating a practical training programme for students who are forced to defend Israel as she really is, and how community leaders and even Israel itself need to be more involved in preparing students for confrontations.