Knesset Approves Military Covernorship in Arab Districts

The Israel Government’s policy of maintaining military governorships in Arab districts of Israel today had won the approval of the Israeli Parliament after a heated debate during which the Communists and the leftwing Mapam Party sought their elimination. The House gave the government a majority of 42 on its policy.

The issue was first raised by the Communists and Mapam three months ago and was referred to the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee. The committee reported last night that “as long as present security conditions as well as the state of relations between Israel and the neighboring states remain unchanged, the military governorships should be continued to protect the security of the State.”

The committee report noted declarations made to the committee by Prime Minister and Minister of Defense David Ben Gurion that the government was continuing to eliminate all discriminations against Arab citizens in any field and had set up a special board to ensure this.

Mapam spokesman Y. Rifkin assailed continuation of the military governorships and demanded “a new democratic policy.” Arguing the need for continued security measures, Meir Argov, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, warned that there were leftist elements among the Arabs “hostile and treacherous to the State” and quoted speeches by an Arab Communist leader promising arms, ammunition and men whenever the “Committee of National Liberation” proclaimed an uprising.

The Israel Government, he said, covered 95 percent of the cost of Arab education in Israel, although the government covered only 66 percent of the cost of Jewish education, and completely covered Arab welfare needs. Arabs in Israel have a higher percentage of voters than in any other country, he pointed out.