Far-Right Israeli Politician Calls Arabic a 'Creeping Occupation'
Translated & summarized from Alarab by baba
Israeli politician Moshe Feiglin attacked the public use of Arabic, calling it a "creeping occupation" and a source of fear. His comments followed a video by Joint List candidate Ahmed Darawsheh. Feiglin claimed hearing Arabic causes distress and justified barring its use in businesses, contrasting it with other immigrant languages. He asserted a right to enforce Hebrew-only speech in public and commercial spaces.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Moshe Feiglin described the Arabic language in public spaces as a "creeping occupation" and a source of fear.
- Feiglin's remarks were a response to a video posted by Joint List candidate Ahmed Darawsheh.
- He claimed that hearing Arabic causes distress and justifies preventing its use in businesses.
- Feiglin contrasted the public use of Arabic with that of other immigrant languages.
- He asserted a "moral and commercial right" to enforce Hebrew-only speech in public and commercial areas.
Far-right Israeli politician Moshe Feiglin launched a harsh attack on the public use of the Arabic language, describing it as a source of "fear and distress" and calling the presence and speech of Arabs "a creeping occupation." Feiglin's remarks came in response to a video posted by Ahmed Darawsheh, a candidate from the Joint List, which Feiglin claimed was not just "cheap electoral provocation" but embodied a takeover of public space.
In a provocative tone directed at Arab citizens, Feiglin stated, "Yes, we are afraid of your language. You, Arabs of Israel, who are responsible for more than 20% of operations... we are afraid of you. When we hear Arabic around us, we become alert, it causes us distress and discomfort, and we do not want to hear it in public spaces or businesses." He justified employers preventing workers from speaking Arabic, claiming it was not due to "racism" but because they understood that hearing Arabic would reduce their customer base.
Feiglin contrasted this with immigrants from France or Russia speaking their languages with customers, which he deemed "completely acceptable." He argued that Arabic, however, was different because it allegedly "does not create a sense of folklore but generates fear, threat, and alienation in our country." Feiglin concluded by asserting a "moral and commercial right" to enforce Hebrew-only speech in private businesses and public places, holding Arab citizens fully responsible for these discriminatory feelings.
