Netanyahu challenged on ‘Arabs voting in droves’ comment

Tanden challenges Netanyahu’s statement about Israeli values, or at least his: Before the election “you said, ‘Arab voters were coming out in droves to the polls.’ What do you say to progressives who worry about comments like that?”

Netanyahu is openly critical of his statement.

“I think that this statement, as it was made, was wrong. First of all, Arabs also voted for me, and I am in favor of that. I wasn’t talking about them going to vote, but talking about a specific list” — a reference to his complaint at the time that activists were using foreign funds to bus Arab voters voting for the Arab Joint List to polls.

“A few days after I said that, I invited Arab leaders to meet me and said, ‘I’m the prime minister of all of you.'”

He then tacks to his record.

“These are words. What about deeds?”

He cites billions the four governments he has led have invested in Arab communities’ infrastructure, education and transportation in Arab communities.

“I was putting in programs for Arab citizens to enter the high-tech sector. You have scholars here. Look at the relative investment of different governments, and you’ll discover the truth of what I’m saying here.”

He adds: “It comes also from a political philosophy that I follow, especially the teachings of Ze’ev Jabotinsky, who believed in having an egalitarian state. He said, ‘There, in a Jewish state, will flourish the son of Arabia, the son of Nazareth, and my own son.'”