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BY ELEANOR JOSEPH

In print | October 9, 2003

“I’m not Jewish. I’m not a Zionist. But I’m an Israeli.”

To some, this statement might seem contradictory — but not to Israeli Bedouin Ishmael Khaldi.

On Tuesday afternoon, Khaldi discussed his personal allegiance to Israel and the Bedouin connection to modern day Israeli secular society.

Khaldi explained in his lecture that in the 1920s, when Jews began immigrating to modern day Israel, there were Bedouins already inhabiting the region.

According to Khaldi, “being in the same boat” with the ever-increasing population of Jewish settlers created an incentive for the Bedouins and the Israelis to “live together, survive together.” The two groups entered a long period of good relations.

Although Bedouins are currently not required to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces, approximately 75 percent of Bedouin men serve on a voluntary basis, Khaldi said.

In addition, he added, most Bedouins want at some point to integrate themselves completely into Israeli society, although they do wish to retain much of their culture, including respect for tradition and commitment to family values.

Although Khaldi did not focus on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict specifically, he did say a two-state solution would be necessary to end hostilities. In response to a question about the feasibility of a one-state solution, Khaldi was short and to the point. “No. They will live together, but they will continue killing each other.”

Khaldi focused more on the Bedouin attachment and loyalty to the land of Israel and the Israeli government that provides for them. Bedouin grievances, Khaldi said, are more socioeconomic than political. Khaldi indicated that the Israeli government is initiating better programs to educate Bedouin youth and support Bedouin communities than did the British during the mandate. For this reason, too, Israeli Bedouins are loyal to the Israeli government.

Khaldi’s lecture was well-received by students who attended. Many were interested in the alternate perspective that Khaldi offered.

“I don’t know very much about Israel in general. Typically, you expect them [Arabs and Jews] to despise each other. But that wasn’t the case. It’s very good to hear that conflict isn’t always necessary,” Katie Cassling ’07 said.

Alix Gould-Werth ‘07 felt that Khaldi presented "too simplified of a view … He didn’t go enough into the nuances. I think the most important part was to realize that there’s more to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict than the extremists. The Bedouin perspective is one that no one ever thinks about it and it was important that it was brought to light," She said.

Khaldi, the third of 11 children, is a Bedouin from the Khawalid tribe, a small tribe located northeast of Haifa. In 1984, Khaldi left Khawalid and moved to the city of Haifa to attend private Arab high school. After returning to Khawalid from a three-month visit to New York City, Khaldi attended Tel-Aviv University. During his studies, Khaldi was drafted into Israeli border police services. Khaldi is an exception in his community, where college and education are not part of the tradition. Today,Khaldi is working for the Israeli Defense Ministry, traveling and sharing the Israeli-Bedouin experience.

Bedouins are a cultural and ethnic minority in Israel today. Since the 1920s, they have shared both the security and economic burdens of building modern-day Israel.

Im Tirtzu, or Swarthmore Zionists for a Two-State Solution, organized Khaldi’s presentation.

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