A tale of two countries

These are two of today’s headlines, one about Israel, a Jewish country; and one about Yemen, a Muslim country. I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions. First, from Israel:

The Israel government has voted to appoint an Arab Muslim to the cabinet – for the first time in the history of the Jewish state.

Raleb Majadele from the Labour Party will be minister without portfolio.

Mr Majadele, aged 53, said his appointment would give Israeli Arabs a sense of belonging.

Labour Party leader Amir Peretz said it was an historic step towards equality for Israeli Arabs, who make up about 20% of Israel’s population.

All Israeli cabinet ministers – except for the ultra-nationalist Minister of Strategic Affairs, Avigdor Lieberman – voted in favour of Mr Majadele’s appointment.

And second, from Yemen:

Forty-five Jewish people in Yemen have taken refuge in a hotel in northern Yemen after receiving death threats from Muslim extremists.

The group fled their village 10 days ago when they were confronted by masked radical Islamist gunmen.

The minority community has followed a traditional way of life in the village of Salem for centuries.

But, earlier this month, the Salem Jews received a letter accusing them of spreading vice and corruption.

The message was clear – the Jews must leave the country or lose their lives.

UPDATE: Writing at Seraphic Secret, Robert Avrech explains everything you need to know about those poor Yemeni Jews, about the fact that the Arab world has achieved the Nazi dream of being Jew free, and about the liberal response to this ethnic purge. It’s sad, important reading.

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