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Last update - 22:00 16/06/2009
Public security minister calls cop 'dirty Arab'
By Yuval Goren, Yoav Stern and Mazal Mualem, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Arabs, Israel news, racism 

Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch, of Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party, called an undercover police officer a "dirty Arab" during a tour of the crime-ridden old central bus station in Tel Aviv.

Aharonovitch asked to meet undercover agents who were active in the region. One of the agents who arrived to meet the minister apologized, saying "I'm a little dirty," to which Aharonovitch replied "dirty? You look like a real dirty Arab."

Aharonovitch later apologized for the remark, saying that it did not reflect his worldview.
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A spokesman for the public security minister also issued a response, saying that "in a moment of jest, and using common slang, the minister said what he said, not intending to hurt anyone. If this or that person were offended, that was not his intention."

The chairman of the Arab party Ra'am-Ta'al, Sheikh Ibrahim Sarsur, harshly criticized Aharonovitch's remark, and demanded that he apologize immediately for having said it. He warned that this kind of comment intensifies the tension between Jews and Arabs in Israel.

In a statement issued following the incident, Sarsur said "these are base and racist remarks. It is an embarrassment that the one making these remarks is a minister holding a high office."

MK Ahmed Tibi, also of Ra'am Ta'al, said that "Aharonovitch`s dirty mouth emits the odor of sewage."

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      1.   shame on you! 21:52  |  patrick a.hammel 16/06/09
      2.   Blatant Racism 21:53  |  person 16/06/09
      3.   A very common slang in Israel, indeed 21:55  |  Disgusted 16/06/09
      4.   dirty Arab 21:56  |  rmv 16/06/09
      5.   As Listeners Chuckle 22:01  |  Yaakov Sullivan 16/06/09
      6.   Racists! 22:12  |  American 16/06/09
      7.   dirty MK 22:13  |  observer 16/06/09
      8.   That puts things in perspective. 22:21  |  Lou Medel 16/06/09
      9.   Dirty Racists 22:26  |  BIG 16/06/09
      10.   anti-semite 22:30  |  ron 16/06/09
      11.   These fools 22:32  |  Reuben 16/06/09
      12.   shameful 22:35  |  lola 16/06/09
      13.   Talk about quoting someone out of context... 22:44  |  Gili 16/06/09
      14.   what a dirty potz!!!!!!!! 23:08  |  tel aviv eyes 16/06/09
      15.   Nothing to get excited about.... 23:10  |  Ben 16/06/09
      16.   hmmm.. almost as newsworthy as how Pals treat Gilad Schalit 23:15  |  Kenny 16/06/09
      17.   Strange! An in Europe the phrase "dirty jew" is very common 23:22  |  European Anglo 16/06/09
      18.   Poor Taste and racist 23:28  |  Baruch Gold 16/06/09
      19.   He should resign 23:29  |  Likud 16/06/09
      20.   An insight into Jewish culture 23:31  |  ezzat Tamimi 16/06/09
      21.   Fire him... 23:41  |  Leon Blaustein 16/06/09
      22.   Using Israeli Jewish common slang indeed 23:46  |  Petteri 16/06/09
      23.   Suuuure He Didn`t Mean it :) 23:56  |  Marc Leb 16/06/09
      24.   worldview 00:02  |  Michael 17/06/09
      25.   In jest...right. 00:03  |  Czarkazem13 17/06/09
      26.   seems rather common in Israel today 00:25  |  david 17/06/09
      27.   He is just mirroring the normal Jewish Israeli sentiment 00:58  |  andrea 17/06/09
      28.   query 01:11  |  potobac 17/06/09
      29.   he should have called him a dirty jew and wait for the headlines 01:24  |  lydia 17/06/09
      30.   NOT racist 01:29  |  yuval 17/06/09
      31.   "common slang" 01:37  |  guy 17/06/09
      32.   I didn`t mean to offend 01:44  |  Mickle 17/06/09
      33.   what`s the big fuss? 01:48  |  As`ad (Angry Arab) 17/06/09
      34.   Well did he have a Shower? 02:21  |  ben 17/06/09
      35.   Lieberman`s entire party is racist. 02:29  |  Joe 17/06/09
      36.   Open Mouth - Utter Feelings 03:05  |  Mark Lincoln 17/06/09
      37.   dirty arab 03:22  |  infidel 17/06/09
      38.   He has a stupid mouth, he should resign 03:22  |  Mikey 17/06/09
      39.   Not overly bright 03:29  |  Ofer 17/06/09
      40.   Ben, you`re an idiot 04:07  |  Josh 17/06/09
      41.   Not surprising 04:11  |  Adam 17/06/09
      42.   WHY ARE ARAB MKS ALLOWED FOUL LANGUAGE??? 04:13  |  THE DEEP THROAT))))) 17/06/09
      43.   Expressing "world views" 04:30  |  Marlene N. 17/06/09
      44.   Disgusting racist remark 04:37  |  Judy Abeles Eliasov 17/06/09
      45.   You call that an apology? 04:42  |  newageblues 17/06/09
      46.   MK Sarsur 04:50  |  O`Bamba 17/06/09
      47.   Please learn to translate ! 05:19  |  Michael 17/06/09
      48.   Making a mountain out of a mole hill... 05:52  |  Malone 17/06/09
      49.   Agree 05:55  |  Natallie Durson 17/06/09
      50.   wow, what an anti semitic remark 06:02  |  T A Sheppard 17/06/09
      51.   n 1 06:04  |  john Spear 17/06/09
      52.   Yitzhak Aharonovitch, Public Security 06:20  |  gil62 17/06/09
      53.   Israeli Jews are not racist. Perish the thought. 06:33  |  Natallie Durson 17/06/09
      54.   dirty arab 06:34  |  Ray 17/06/09
      55.   #4 infidel 07:23  |  MR 17/06/09
      56.   Can any minister anywhere say "dirty jew" 07:32  |  Palestinian 17/06/09
      57.   Stupid man 07:56  |  Maspik 17/06/09
      58.   dirty arab? 08:13  |  As`ad (Angry Arab) 17/06/09
      59.   Translation? 08:16  |  eva 17/06/09
      60.   Title and real content 08:37  |  Avraham 17/06/09
      61.   ...and he says he was only joking, he didn`t mean it... 09:07  |  Esther 17/06/09
      62.   Outrageous remark! 09:49  |  Maya 17/06/09
      63.   Realistic Remarks 09:53  |  Roland 17/06/09
      64.   He did look like an Arab, and he was dirty 09:59  |  A 17/06/09
      65.   #10: weak 10:15  |  Guy 17/06/09
      66.   In any real western democracy, this guy would be sacked. 10:33  |  Michael 17/06/09
      67.   Fire that racist 10:36  |  A mother 17/06/09
      68.   #11 Yes,Palestinian 10:42  |  Hastaroth 17/06/09
      69.   Sewage out of his mouth 10:42  |  Steve the Pals. 17/06/09
      70.   Yes,it was outrageous 10:45  |  Hastaroth 17/06/09
      71.   Sounds like a joke to me 11:06  |  David Plane 17/06/09
      72.   resign 11:32  |  Joseph 17/06/09
      73.   Wow shocking news 11:37  |  GaileeHero 17/06/09
      74.   An old "joke"... 12:24  |  Anne 17/06/09
      75.   When will people realize 14:13  |  Lynn 17/06/09
      76.   Poster # 1 14:17  |  Chaval 17/06/09
      77.   how does a meeting with undercover agents become public? 14:27  |  Susanna/Shoshana 17/06/09
      78.   Someone Should Write A Book 14:31  |  Nasty Celt 17/06/09
      79.   Correction 14:37  |  sh 17/06/09
      80.   Sullivan:"As listeners chuckle" 15:27  |  Christopher 17/06/09
      81.   Sullivan: Cute Comment 15:28  |  Chriostopher 17/06/09
      82.   response to Kenny 15:32  |  flora 17/06/09
      83.   Very Observant of you Susanna/Shoshana@? 15:32  |  KATHY 17/06/09
      84.   47 and 59. The translation is reasonable. He should resign. 15:34  |  Michael 17/06/09
      85.   Abhorrent and no excuse 15:41  |  Arie 17/06/09
      86.   Michael in UK:"In any REAL democracy" 15:55  |  Arie 17/06/09
      87.   Sullivan and `dirty `Arabs` 15:57  |  Christopher 17/06/09
      88.   Clarification PLEASE!! 16:00  |  observer 17/06/09
      89.   When I work in my back yard, I am a one dirty Jew 16:02  |  Boris 17/06/09
      90.   To Nasty Celt@77 .Here is mine on Billy boy Clinton: 16:04  |  Whiskey/Bravo 17/06/09
      91.   Arie 86. Don`t be silly. 16:26  |  Michael 17/06/09
      92.   A moment of jest...using "common slang" 16:35  |  Ibrahim 17/06/09
      93.   Michael in UK:Try reading the links 16:53  |  Arie 17/06/09
      94.   Impresion 17:01  |  Ahmose The Egyptian 17/06/09
      95.   Arie 93 Have YOU read your own links? 17:19  |  Michael 17/06/09
      96.   excuses 17:46  |  oz 17/06/09
      97.   translation 18:07  |  yuval 17/06/09
      98.   to #49.... Long live ? 18:18  |  Tony Silver 17/06/09
      99.   to Palestinian...This is the israeli way of politeness! 18:24  |  Tony Silver 17/06/09
      100.   #19 Likud 20:17  |  Sikilyamo 17/06/09
      101.   Apologies after the fact are meaningless 20:58  |  justis 17/06/09
      102.   true, a shameful remark but... 21:11  |  Tal 17/06/09
      103.   we say the same about jews 21:17  |  noone 17/06/09
      104.   tony silver 21:19  |  second try 17/06/09
      105.   palestinian 21:44  |  me again 17/06/09
      106.   noon 22:01  |  oz 17/06/09
      107.   Instead Of A Book How About A Website 03:59  |  Nasty Celt 18/06/09
      108.   #98 Tony Silver 04:36  |  Natallie Durson 18/06/09
      109.   antisemetic 07:57  |  moos 18/06/09
      110.   TO MR #55 08:16  |  Steve Beikirch 18/06/09
      111.   Israeli`s Talking Sh*t 10:30  |  J 19/06/09
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