RAMALLAH, March 9 (JMCC) - An Arab councilwoman in the city of
Nazareth explains why
Israel does not represent its 20 percent Arab minority. Abir Kopty, 34, is also a spokesperson for the Palestinian government.
Where does it not represent you?
In the occupation policy, in the settlement policy, in the policy of racism and discrimination. Eighty-percent unemployment among women; the many employers who do not hire Arabs. The development budget - hardly 4 percent of it reaches the Arab local authorities. Upper Nazareth is almost swallowing up Nazareth because it is expanding so much, and Nazareth has no lands to expand onto. Nazareth does not have an industrial zone. Education - I don't study my past, my identity - I study the history of the Jewish people. I also see the teachers' fear of teaching our history, the fear that the Education Ministry will dismiss them.
Read the whole interview in
Haaretz...