His business card says policy advisor of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. A position that in itself is reason enough to interview someone, but even more remarkable when the respective minister is Avigdor Liberman and his advisor an Bedouin born in Israel.
Ismail Khaldi is the Israeli dream come true. Born in Khawalid a poor Bedouin village in Israel, as the third son of eleven children, he lived in a tent until he was eight. “During the daytime I was a shepherd and at night I studied”. He does not have much patience for a quiet talk. His two mobiles and his computer constantly demand his attention and taking a picture of him is quite a feat. He does not sit quietly for a second. Maybe it is time for an assistant? “A secretary, no, I do everything myself”, says Ismail.
Three hours of sleep is more than enough for him. He gets up at four in the morning, reads all the important Arab newspapers, jogs and then goes to his work. He has a BA in political sciences and a Masters in International relationships. At thirty-nine Ismail has already achieved a lot. “I served in the army and worked with the police before being asked to join the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (October 2004) as Israel’s first diplomat of Bedouin descent. In the period that Israel withdrew from Gaza he was spokesman for the Arab media department of the Israeli government. Afterwards he was dispatched to America as adjunct consul in San Francisco (until 2009). “And then Liberman phoned me and asked me to become his policy advisor, an enormous honor”.
This week his first book “A shepherd’s Journey” is being released in Israel and in the coming weeks in the States as well. It is the story of his life in which he seems to have found a balance between living in a tent and living in a house. Ismail: “I could have become a shepherd just like my father which may have been an easier way, but I am proud of what I do. I will not disappoint my country”.
In Israel he belongs to a minority. How does he deal with that? Ismail:” Indeed, I am a minority in my own country and I certainly suffered because of my double identity. I will always remain a Bedouin, strongly connected to my people. On the other hand I grabbed the chance to look beyond my own culture and the things that separate us. This way I met people whom I otherwise would have never encountered. I am very grateful for that. For my future I have two important goals in mind. To help find peace and security for Israel and I will do my utmost to assist a young generation of Bedouins. On one hand they have to deal with their norms, traditions and heritage and on the other hand they grow up in a modern society.
This is not easy, but it is possible”. There are many contradictions in his life. Is he not constantly in conflict with himself? Ismail: ”Maybe the most important part of my development is accepting who I am. I am a Muslim, Bedouin and Israeli in that order. I know that I will always live in the centre of controversy. I will be an outsider in any community, whether it is the Jewish, Muslim, Arab or American world. Even people who know me well will be afraid that I do not share the same values”. Ismail writes in his book about his struggle in order to find a good balance in his life. “Already ten years ago my father told me “Your mother and I are getting older my boy, and we do not see enough of you, that is your choice, but you have to get married”. The choice of my career, the traveling, leaving the village that I was born in, creates a barrier between me and a traditional house with wife and kids. The woman of my dreams still lives in the village were she was born. And it is difficult to leave that village. I have patience, already many years. It will not be long before she will jump in the cold water and will start swimming. When that happens I know that my personal goal is fulfilled”.Is it not remarkable that he as a Muslim represents the state of Israel? Ismail:”Twenty percent of the Israeli population is not Jewish, so it is not that special. I am not a Zionist, but an Israeli citizen and a Muslim. We are brothers with a common denominator. We all live in the same beautiful country for many, many years. My grandmother, who recently died at the age of ninety-six, spoke Yiddish fluently. She learned that from neighbors with whom she was friendly! And this was at the beginning of the twentieth century”. Back to politics. What does he think about the increasing accusations that Israel is a racist and an Apartheid state? Ismail:”I reject it and it disgusts me. Arabs represent Israel at all levels: Ministers, members of Knesset, Judges in the High Court, ambassadors, Councils etc. In Israel’s independence statement (1948) equal rights for all its citizens are being guaranteed. Israel is a Jewish state, a homeland for Jews from everywhere, which offers them a place through the Law of Return. Is that racist? More then forty countries in the world give preference as far as immigration is concerned to those who have historic ties with that country. Amongst them Germany, Greece and Spain. Israel is the only real democracy in the Middle East. We have opportunities in education, there are women's rights and there is freedom of speech. The minorities are far better off here then in any other of the surrounding countries. It would not be fair to pretend that Israel is a kind of utopia, with only tolerance and equality. The State knows many problems, like any other western democracy. Israel’s road to equality for all its citizens is a long process. Because of the continuing tension with its neighbors many other important issues are left behind. The reality is not simple, but I believe that the existence of a Jewish state in the Middle East is a blessing for its minorities and in the end for the whole area”.
How does he explain the bad image his boss Liberman has abroad. Ismail:”People interpret in their own way what they hear and read. Liberman wants security for his people. I see him as a real leader; he knows “tacheles” how to get things done. Liberman reminds me of my father, also a patriot, somebody who does not want to insult anybody. But it is not an easy process and it will take a long time, step by step”. How does he see the future? Ismail:”To me Israel is a country where cooperation between the various minorities can lead to a continuous partnership between the Jewish state and all of the Arab surroundings. Fruit of such cooperation will be tremendous. Israel has become an oasis of technological inventions and medical successes. Already there exists cooperation in numerous areas between Israeli Jews and Arabs, for instance in Naharia where the head of the hospital is an Israeli Arab who works together with both Jewish and Arab physicians. This is a nice example where ethnic, cultural and religious differences have been set aside in order to reach a common goal. I hope this will be an example for others”. for information: ish20299@hotmail.com
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