Fascinating article! Some comments (from a non-Israeli, which means i might be way off): 1. I think what makes Israel (and Lebanon to a certain degree) distinct from the rest of the Arab world is the very fact that those 2 countries embrace the western lifestyle, technology, values, etc. more so than the countries surrounding them. I would argue that trying to be more like an Arab country would take Israel backwards. 2. Teaching the Arabic language and making it a requirement: Considering Arabic is an official language, I think this is a good idea. Language is the key to dialogue, and even though it might seem like a very far jump from teaching Arabic to dialoguing with the Palestinians and Arab neighbours, i think there is a connection there (a long and narrow connection, albeit). 3. The concept of Arabism not being in contradiction with Zionism. This is where my not being Israeli or Jewish fails me to some degree. But as an "outsider", I have to wonder if the author is taking into account the "jewish character and identity" of the state of Israel. Whereas it doesn't, by definition, exclude Arabs, it remains a foregone conclusion that if Arabs were to become a majority, the state of Israel would indeed lose it's jewish character, which in and of itself would be a contradiction to Zionism. To expand somewhat on that last part: What solutions exit to the problem of cohabitation (specifically with the Palestinians and the Arab-Israeli community)? The issue I describe above (that of an Arab majority) brings 3 possibilites to mind: a. Israel stays a democracy, but loses its "jewish identity". b. Israel stops being a democracy by enforcing the rule of a minority, in the South African Apartheid model. c. Israel circumvents the "Arab majority" problem by *ahem* eliminating the Arabs (mass deportation or whatever). I don't particularly see a third choice here. Hopefully I am mising one, because none of those 3 seem acceptable. If I had to pick one (and again, speaking as a non-Israeli), i'd have to vote for (a). But we all know that ain't happening... (Sorry for the long comment)