Former defense minister Moshe Ya’alon acknowledged that his statement saying “Arab Israelis would slaughter us if we were weak,” was inciteful and discriminatory, and walked back his words.
“In the interview [with KAN’s Reshet Bet], I emphasized the importance of the integration of Israeli Arabs into Israeli society, and the vast majority of them want it,” he clarified. “I made it clear that the government should work to integrate them.
It is clear that if we were not strong, there would also be no agreements with our neighbors, and they would also slaughter us, as before the establishment of the state.
“It is good that we live in a strong country that also does not need Ben-Gvir militias to defend itself.
Our power brings with it confidence in the continued existence of the Jewish state, but also responsibility toward the Arab citizens of the state.”
Maariv journalist Arik Bender tweeted: “The truth is that Ya’alon did not say the sentence ‘If we were weak, the Arabs of Israel would slaughter us.’”
He explained that KAN’s Esti Peretz asked the question in response to Ya’alon saying that if Israel wasn’t strong it wouldn’t still be here, and Ya'alon replied yes.
“The Arabs of Israel would slaughter us?” she asked, to which Ya’alon replied: “Do you have any doubt about that? I have no doubt about that.”
Peretz asked again to reaffirm Ya’alon’s response. “They would slaughter us?” She asked, to which Ya’alon replied: “Of course.”
האמת היא שיעלון לא אמר את המשפט "אם היינו חלשים ערביי ישראל היו טובחים בנו". את המשפט הזה אמרה אסתי פרז כשאלה: בוגי: אם לא הינו חזקים לא היינו פה...אסתי: ערבי ישראל היו טובחים בנו? בוגי: יש לך ספקות בעניין? לי אין ספקות בעניין. אסתי: היו טובחים בנו? בוגי: בוודאי— כאן תקראו רק דיווחי אמת -arik bender (@arikbender) May 23, 2021
Joint List faction chairman Ahmad Tibi said Ya’alon’s words were dangerous, and that it encourages Jews to harm Arabs.