Israel's Arab Democrat.(Azmi Bishara)(Brief Article)(Interview)

One of the most respected voices in Palestinian politics is neither a member of Yasir Arafat's Palestinian Authority nor of the Islamist party Hamas, but of the Israeli Knesset. Azmi Bishara, 46, is a Christian Arab activist and Israeli citizen from Nazareth whose unflinching criticism of Israel's government has made him a hero to Arabs on both sides of the Green Line. Satellite television has spread his fame through much of the Muslim world. His previous comments have also brought down the wrath of the Israeli government. In May his parliamentary immunity was lifted and his trial for alleged sedition and "incitement to violence" will resume in September. Yet Bishara's greatest talent is in operating within the democratic framework. On a recent visit to Paris, Bishara sat down with NEWSWEEK's Christopher Dickey. Excerpts:

DICKEY: You are on trial for a speech you made praising Hizbullah. Is that right?

BISHARA: I spoke about the right to resist occupation, and this was considered sympathetic to terrorism. I was always against targeting civilians. But Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza, they don't have the right to vote in the Knesset. They don't have a democratic channel to express self-determination. Occupation is violent. Occupation deprives the Palestinian people not only of self-determination, but the elementary right to plan their lives every day, the most banal details. So what do you want the Palestinians to do?

U.S. President George Bush is saying he wants more democracy in Palestinian-controlled territory. And he says that can't happen as long as Yasir Arafat runs the Palestinian Authority.

Most of the presidents and kings of the Middle East are not democratic but are close friends, it seems, of George Bush. And he speaks about them with sympathy. Yet he's asking Palestinians--even before independence--to build a democracy? And these Arab governments to help? This is totally absurd.

So the Israelis have been better teachers of democracy?

Look, there is a margin for freedom of speech because there is a democracy in Israel. But this democracy was built on the ruins of my people, my state. Israel is a democracy, but it's a Jewish democracy; that's how it defines itself. They keep reminding us, "In this democracy, you are really a guest."