Gantz addresses Arab Israelis: 'An inseparable part of Israeli society'

National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz, the retired army general who, along with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, leads Israel's emergency war cabinet, posted an address on X this morning to both Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel, telling the Arab Israeli community that they are an "inseparable part of Israeli society," and recounting his meetings with Arab Israelis who risked their lives to save other Israelis during the attacks of October 7.

The address came a day and a half after police had to escort a group of Arab students out of a university dorm in Netanya, while outside, hundreds of Jews chanted "Death to Arabs" and "All the Arabs out," after claims that the Arab students had thrown eggs at Jewish children at a nearby synagogue.

פנייה ממני לכל אזרחי ישראל. pic.twitter.com/SOkWIVRwww

— בני גנץ - Benny Gantz (@gantzbe) October 30, 2023

It is still not clear how the incident started, but the result drew comparisons to recent scenes of anti-Jewish crowds across the world. "Cooper Union in reverse," commented the Israeli reporter Noga Tarnopolsky, invoking an incident in New York City in which pro-Palestinian demonstrators surrounded a group of Jewish students taking shelter in the college library. 

"Fellow citizens, Jewish and Arab," Gantz began, "we are in a war with those who want to destroy us, to hurt us, a murderous terror organization that goes against the ethics of humanity, the values of humanity, and also the values of Islam."

The minister went on to tell the story of Yusuf, a volunteer who drove dozens of Israelis from the south out of harm's way, while under fire. "I met dozens of Arab volunteers, alongside Jews," he said. "Paramedics, who rushed to save lives." Israelis' "destiny," Gantz said, "is shared." 

The speech, which went on for about two minutes, indirectly addressed vigilante violence and intimidation: "If there are minorities amongst the Arab citizens of Israel," he said, "who incite or act against the state, they must be condemned by their community, and the Israel Police and Shin Bet will deal with them with a heavy hand."

It is the "legal and ethical duty," Gantz continued, of all citizens of Israel to "leave that to law enforcement and them alone.

"It is important for me to say to Arab citizens of Israel: we are in a war for our home, and you are an inseparable part of it. Only together, with all parts of Israeli society, will we win, and will we bring better days." 

Gantz also posted an address to Jews in the Diaspora

Gantz also posted a similar address late Monday night, in English, to Jews around the world.

"Like every Jewish generation," he said, "we find ourselves once again weeping for the murder of Jewish children. Entire families turned to dust at the hands of Hamas, a terror organization more despicable than ISIS."

My Jewish brothers and sisters -As our Jewish and Israeli communities around the world are targeted and antisemitism rears its ugly head once again, this is my message to you: pic.twitter.com/QjuoTevXbV

— בני גנץ - Benny Gantz (@gantzbe) October 30, 2023

"But like every Jewish generation, we will outlive this evil too. The one and only Jewish state will prevail," he continued.

"As I speak, our sons and daughters endanger their lives to ensure our survival. We owe it to the Jew in Auschwitz crying for help. We owe it to the university student scared to wear a Star of David or speak Hebrew. We owe it to over 200 hostages sitting in darkness with nothing but hope to keep them warm."

We owe it to the children of am Yisrael who deserve one day to live beside their neighbors in security and peace," he concluded. "We will continue dreaming of peace, but we swear to deliver on our promise: the eternal, safe, powerful, one and only Jewish state is here to stay. Am Yisrael chai, forever."