Jay,

Beyond Felafel, humus and coffee, Israeli Arabs also make fine doctors and alongside jewish doctors treat Israelis (Arabs, Jews and other minorities) as well as Non Israeli Palestinians looking for treatment in Israeli hospitals.

While i am sure it is not your intention, it seems a bit condescending admiring minorities for their culinary expertise.

But as Vayesachek mentions below, there are many other postive things happening...and it makes you wonder why the Israeli government has had such a hard time giving 100% equal treatment to these people caught between loyalties. (Israel's political system has always been discimatory of fringe populations...so it may not be chauvinsim per se).

I think the point of this thread for us, Israelis and Jews who are interested in cooperation and living together with Arabs is to point to the fact that it is not enough to be nice to Palestinians (those who are Israeli citizens and those who are not)...but we must:

1. recognize their feelings and pain

2. respect their traditions and culture and their right to express them

3. recognize their right to a state committed to living in cooperation with Israel and the other neighboring Arab states.

They on their part have much work to do as well in the our direction.

I write this after my daily walk around the parameter of my kibbutz, where outside the fence that surrounds the kibbutz I see their orchards, green and luscious, bordering our orchards, just as green. The beauty the eye sees sometimes hides much harsher realities of the people who harvest these trees.