A memorandum submitted recently to the Ministry of Social Betterment listed a long series of negative effects that a peace treaty with Egypt and eventually with Israel’s other neighbors may have on Israeli society. They include the possible take-over of the economy by foreign capital, an increase in the size of the Arab work force in Israel, polarization of relations between Western and Oriental Jews and an increase of intermarriage between Jews and Arabs.
The memorandum was prepared by the research and planning branch of the Labor Ministry which is part of the Ministry of Social Betterment. It was the result of internal discussions of the social and economic implications of the peace agreements and the withdrawal from Sinai.
The subjects covered will be discussed shortly by a committee of the directors general of the ministries concerned. The memorandum recommended that the government establish a supervisory apparatus to forestall the possible control of Israel’s economy by Arab wealth. It also warned that “opening the border for a foreign, inexpensive and unprofessional labor force may shake the social and national independence of the country. This is an existing problem and it may become worse.” The memo added that it could lead to the development of an exploiting class in Israel and harm the work ethic among Jews.
On social polarization, the memo warned that open borders could speed up the “Orientalization” process of Eastern Jews whose mother tongue is Arabic and thereby widen the existing gap between the Western and Oriental Jewish communities. Intermarriage was seen as another problem. According to the memo, it will increase not only among the lower strata of Israeli society but among the educated in the event of peace.
The memo expressed concern that an influx of Arab capital could strengthen the existing ties between Arab and Jewish criminal elements, especially in drug trafficking and prostitution. An increase in white collar crime was also anticipated. Finally, the memo suggested that peace might strengthen nationalistic and separatist sentiments among Israel’s Arab population. However, according to the memo, Israeli Arabs may also serve as a bridge between Jewish society and the rest of the Arab world.
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