Thousands of Israelis live in Area A. But no one will condemn them as war criminals - since they aren't Jews.

When do the UN, Amnesty, Human Rights Watch,  PFLP-linked NGOs, the BDS Movement, Students for Justice for Palestine, Peace Now, Jewish Voice for Peace and J-Street not condemn Israeli citizens living in the West Bank?

When they are Arabs, of course.

From Haaretz:

Rawabi markets itself as a unifier of Palestinian interests and an actionable road map for statehood, replacing the grandiose promise-making of traditional leadership with literal facts on the ground.

Located in Area A – placing it, on paper at least, under full control of the Palestinian Authority – and situated some 35 minutes north of Ramallah, construction began here in 2010, financed initially by the Palestinian-American entrepreneur Bashar Masri and aided by substantial Qatari funds.

During a recent visit, I sat down with the city’s first-ever mayor, Ibrahim Natour.

Asked about the presence and role of the Arab Israeli population in the city, Natour hastens to correct me: “We’re not looking at them as Arab Israelis: they’re Palestinians. To be Palestinian is not about having an [Israeli] ID card. I’m Palestinian but I’m from Jerusalem. We don’t discriminate.”

Despite early hopes of attracting as many as 40,000 residents, Rawabi’s current population sits at a somewhat meager 5,000, of whom 70 percent consider the city their permanent home. A municipal official described the other 30 percent as “weekend/vacation” visitors. Except for wealthier Palestinians holding dual citizenship, it stands to reason that many of them are Arab Israelis – the only ones capable of passing through the border crossings uninhibited.

Amal, a 46-year-old resident of the Arab Israeli city of Umm al-Fahm, was surprised by the demographic breakdown of the city, which had marketed itself as a stepping-stone in the direction of statehood. “I also asked how many residents come from outside [i.e., Arab Israelis]. I had the impression that at least 80 percent were from [the West Bank]. You see all the yellow [Israeli] car license plates and most of them come every few months for a visit – but they’re never going to tell you that,” he says, referring to the municipality.

Any way you count it, thousands of Arab Israelis own houses and live at least part time in Area A - under Palestinian control.

They are settlers. 

In an area Jews aren't allowed.

The mayor says "we don't discriminate." Well, as long as you don't count discriminating against Jews, I suppose not. 

Ken Roth of Human Rights Watch has said that "Each transfer of a settler to occupied territory is a war crime." Both Jews and Arabs voluntarily move to the West Bank. But Roth only considers it a "war crime" if they are Jewish.

There is a word for that.

The Israeli Arabs who live in Rawabi can vote in Israeli elections - just like the Jews who live in less than ten kilometers away in Shiloh or Eli. 

They can drive on every road in the West Bank - not only the mythical "Jewish-only roads" but the Arab roads as well that are off-limits to Jews. 

Every single argument that Israel practices "apartheid" is demolished by the existence of Israeli Arabs living in an Arab community that, we are told, is "occupied."

The more you look at the "apartheid" claim, the most you see that it is prompted by its own bigotry - against Jews and only Jews. 

(h/t Ahron)

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