Call for Unity Among Citizens

Our dear Arab citizens,

Our dear Arab citizens.

Before I was elected, I said that Arab voters

were coming to the polls in large numbers.

Although I meant a specific political party, many people

were hurt,

and that is understandable.

I apologized for the way my remarks were understood,

but today I want to take it one step further.

Today I ask you, citizens of Israel, to take part in

Israeli society in large numbers.

Work in large numbers, study in large numbers,

prosper in large numbers.

Israel is strong because of, not despite, its diversity and pluralism

that characterize it.

More than 20 percent of our citizens are Arabs, and you

have achieved remarkable accomplishments. Supreme Court justices,

members of the Knesset, renowned writers, doctors, pharmacists, entrepreneurs,

owners of high-tech companies, scientists.

I am proud of the role you play in Israel's success.

I want you to play an even greater role.

Now, respecting minorities is not only the right thing to do,

it is also

vital. It is vital to our progress, to our development.

But talk of equal opportunities and investment is not enough.

What matters is action,

and I am proud that my government recently made a decision

to invest very substantial resources in Arab communities.

Arab communities are receiving unprecedented support for public

infrastructure, transportation, employment, welfare, and many other

areas.

And the reason is simple.

Your future is our future.

True, significant gaps still remain.

I will never forget the conversation I had in one of the Knesset

committees

with a young Muslim woman

whose husband and sons

were murdered, shot dead in one of the Arab cities.

She was trembling,

begging me. She said, "Prime Minister,

strengthen law and order in the community where I live."

That is exactly what we are doing. Yesterday, the government approved legislation

to significantly strengthen law and order in Arab

communities. They are crying out to be freed from the burden of crime,

the burden of violence. My vision is for Arab boys and girls

to grow up safely, knowing that there is nothing they cannot

will be able to achieve in the State of Israel as citizens with equal rights

and value in our democracy, our economy, and our society.

Today, I ask all of you to join me

in this effort. Each and every one of us has a role.

Jews and Arabs must extend a hand to one another, get to know the families,

listen to one another. Jews and Arabs must show one another

the same respect and fairness that you would want

others to show your families.

Our country is too small and too precious to

contain so much discord and hatred.

Let us work together, Arabs and Jews alike, to

move forward by striv-