In January 2007, the Israeli cabinet approved the country's first Muslim Arab minister, Majadle, who said he would seek to help Arab citizens identify more with the state. He was first appointed as a minister without a specific portfolio. Majadle later became culture, science and sports minister. The center-left Labor Party nominated him for a cabinet post after one of its members resigned from the government. Some right-wing politicians have spoken out against bringing a Muslim Arab into the cabinet, but Majadle won overwhelming approval in the cabinet vote."The first step has been taken, and this has given Israeli Arabs a feeling of belonging," Majadle had said when first appointed minister. Israeli Arabs account for about 1.2 million of Israel's 7 million people.
"Turkey's relations with both Israel and Palestine are at an extremely advanced level. It also has relations with other Arab countries. This is very important. Turkey can assume the role of mediator," Majadle said in an interview with Today's Zaman.
Israel has close diplomatic ties with Turkey, one of the few Muslim countries with which it has relations, and has been a key ally of the Jewish state since 1996, when the two countries signed a military cooperation deal. Turkey is one of four Muslim countries that have friendly ties with Israel -- the others are Egypt, Jordan and Mauritania.
As part of the renewal of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, US President George W. Bush pressed Israel last week to evacuate dozens of outposts. Israel has promised under a 2003 peace plan to evacuate about two dozen of the more than 100 outposts that settlers set up on disputed land to prevent its transfer to the Palestinians in a future peace deal.
"There is no meaning in talking about peace in case of continuation of Jewish settlement policy. Israel should immediately abandon its settlement policy," Majadle said. Yet he sounded hopeful when asked whether he believed that peace could be established between Israelis and Palestinians this year.
"Why not, if both Israelis and Palestinians want it? Of course, it is possible. Even Europe, which experienced two world wars, has unified today. They even have a common currency," Majadle said.
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Diplomacy
