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| Boycott Israel’s Election? A Palestinian Rapper Says No | Boycott Israel’s Election? A Palestinian Rapper Says No |
| (5 days later) | |
| JERUSALEM — Frustrated over their choices in the Israeli election, and at Arab politicians whom they describe as ineffective, some Palestinian citizens of Israel have been gathering popular support for a boycott of Tuesday’s ballot. | JERUSALEM — Frustrated over their choices in the Israeli election, and at Arab politicians whom they describe as ineffective, some Palestinian citizens of Israel have been gathering popular support for a boycott of Tuesday’s ballot. |
| But a well-known Palestinian hip-hop artist released a powerful new video on Thursday pushing back on the boycott, urging Arab citizens not to waste their votes — and expressing hope that a strong turnout on Tuesday could help send Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu packing, or even “to prison.” | But a well-known Palestinian hip-hop artist released a powerful new video on Thursday pushing back on the boycott, urging Arab citizens not to waste their votes — and expressing hope that a strong turnout on Tuesday could help send Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu packing, or even “to prison.” |
| In the Arabic-language video, which spread widely on social media and has sparked a robust online debate, the rapper, Tamer Nafar of Lod, Israel, argues with himself over whether to vote or stay home, then comes down strongly in favor of voting — dramatizing what Mr. Nafar said had been his own internal dialogue over the past few weeks. | In the Arabic-language video, which spread widely on social media and has sparked a robust online debate, the rapper, Tamer Nafar of Lod, Israel, argues with himself over whether to vote or stay home, then comes down strongly in favor of voting — dramatizing what Mr. Nafar said had been his own internal dialogue over the past few weeks. |
| “It’s our land, but their state,” the voice of the pro-boycott Mr. Nafar says in the video, which is titled “Tamer Must Vote” in English, adding of the Israeli Parliament, “The Knesset’s not for me.” | “It’s our land, but their state,” the voice of the pro-boycott Mr. Nafar says in the video, which is titled “Tamer Must Vote” in English, adding of the Israeli Parliament, “The Knesset’s not for me.” |
| But the Mr. Nafar who favors voting retorts that even the shekel is Israeli. What then, “throw away our money” and drop out of the economy, since the taxes paid by Arab citizens fund the army? “Plant tea leaves at home so we won’t fund missiles on Gaza?” | But the Mr. Nafar who favors voting retorts that even the shekel is Israeli. What then, “throw away our money” and drop out of the economy, since the taxes paid by Arab citizens fund the army? “Plant tea leaves at home so we won’t fund missiles on Gaza?” |
| “They’re using us to look liberal,” the pro-boycotter says, echoing a frequent argument of Palestinian citizens who say that participating in Israeli democracy provides a veneer of equality in Western eyes. | “They’re using us to look liberal,” the pro-boycotter says, echoing a frequent argument of Palestinian citizens who say that participating in Israeli democracy provides a veneer of equality in Western eyes. |
| “Yeah, baby, democracy is so ’80s,” the pro-voter says sarcastically. | “Yeah, baby, democracy is so ’80s,” the pro-voter says sarcastically. |
| His vote wouldn’t change anything, the pro-boycotter responds: It’s like stepping “into a missile war when all I got is a knife,” or fighting a tank “when all I got is a stone.” | His vote wouldn’t change anything, the pro-boycotter responds: It’s like stepping “into a missile war when all I got is a knife,” or fighting a tank “when all I got is a stone.” |
| The pro-voter hits back by acknowledging “it doesn’t mean that we’ll liberate Palestine,” but says, dropping the mic, that “if our vote will erase Lieberman, imprison Bibi, then we’re ready,” referring to the former defense minister Avigdor Lieberman. | The pro-voter hits back by acknowledging “it doesn’t mean that we’ll liberate Palestine,” but says, dropping the mic, that “if our vote will erase Lieberman, imprison Bibi, then we’re ready,” referring to the former defense minister Avigdor Lieberman. |
| Indeed, one of the richest ironies that could emerge from Tuesday’s election would be if strong Arab turnout raised the minimum vote threshold for political parties to gain entry into Parliament so high that Mr. Lieberman failed to clear it. His party, Yisrael Beiteinu, is struggling in the polls. | Indeed, one of the richest ironies that could emerge from Tuesday’s election would be if strong Arab turnout raised the minimum vote threshold for political parties to gain entry into Parliament so high that Mr. Lieberman failed to clear it. His party, Yisrael Beiteinu, is struggling in the polls. |
| [Read about how Prime Minister Netanyahu’s anti-Arab provocations may backfire this time around, though they may have helped him in the past.] | |
| It was Mr. Lieberman who pushed a change in the election law that raised the voting percentage threshold in 2015, as a way of banning Arab parties from the Knesset. The Arab parties responded at the time by joining forces, and their Joint List won a record 13 seats in the Knesset that year. | It was Mr. Lieberman who pushed a change in the election law that raised the voting percentage threshold in 2015, as a way of banning Arab parties from the Knesset. The Arab parties responded at the time by joining forces, and their Joint List won a record 13 seats in the Knesset that year. |
| Some polls this year indicated turnout among Palestinian citizens would be even higher, given widespread anger at Mr. Netanyahu, who has been running an exceptionally anti-Arab campaign. But the boycott movement is having the reverse effect, exasperating Arab leaders as well as many Jewish Israeli opponents of Mr. Netanyahu who hoped that Arab voters could play a decisive role in defeating him. | Some polls this year indicated turnout among Palestinian citizens would be even higher, given widespread anger at Mr. Netanyahu, who has been running an exceptionally anti-Arab campaign. But the boycott movement is having the reverse effect, exasperating Arab leaders as well as many Jewish Israeli opponents of Mr. Netanyahu who hoped that Arab voters could play a decisive role in defeating him. |
| In an interview, Mr. Nafar said he was still hoping for such a result, which he said would be “poetic justice.” | In an interview, Mr. Nafar said he was still hoping for such a result, which he said would be “poetic justice.” |
| [Read our guide to the Israeli elections.] | |
| He said that he was not enamored of Benny Gantz, the former army chief who is neck and neck with Mr. Netanyahu in the polls, but that Mr. Gantz would be preferable to Mr. Netanyahu. And although Mr. Netanyahu is facing indictment only on corruption charges, Mr. Nafar said — he would prefer it be for “war crimes” — “At least it’s something,” he added. | He said that he was not enamored of Benny Gantz, the former army chief who is neck and neck with Mr. Netanyahu in the polls, but that Mr. Gantz would be preferable to Mr. Netanyahu. And although Mr. Netanyahu is facing indictment only on corruption charges, Mr. Nafar said — he would prefer it be for “war crimes” — “At least it’s something,” he added. |
| “I guess I’m watching too much ‘Game of Thrones,’” he said. | “I guess I’m watching too much ‘Game of Thrones,’” he said. |
| Mr. Nafar, 39, began his hip-hop career in the late 1990s, and his lyrics took a strong political turn with the outbreak of the Palestinian uprising known as the Second Intifada, in 2000. The son of Palestinian refugees and a father of two, he was the star of a celebrated autobiographical film, “Junction 48,” in 2016. The Israeli culture minister, Miri Regev, walked out on his performance at the country’s movie awards ceremony that year and has tried to have his performances canceled. | Mr. Nafar, 39, began his hip-hop career in the late 1990s, and his lyrics took a strong political turn with the outbreak of the Palestinian uprising known as the Second Intifada, in 2000. The son of Palestinian refugees and a father of two, he was the star of a celebrated autobiographical film, “Junction 48,” in 2016. The Israeli culture minister, Miri Regev, walked out on his performance at the country’s movie awards ceremony that year and has tried to have his performances canceled. |
| “I’m not saying that being in the Knesset is the best medicine, but if I want to let go of it I should do that dose by dose,” he said, explaining his decision to vote — not all at once, with nothing in its place. | “I’m not saying that being in the Knesset is the best medicine, but if I want to let go of it I should do that dose by dose,” he said, explaining his decision to vote — not all at once, with nothing in its place. |
| In the video, Mr. Nafar’s pro-boycott persona has little use for Arab politicians. “Did they deal with poverty? Did they bring us schools and jobs?” he asks. “We only see them out there during elections.” He adds that he voted for the Joint List the last time, but infighting broke it apart. “For me, this ship has sunk,” he says. | In the video, Mr. Nafar’s pro-boycott persona has little use for Arab politicians. “Did they deal with poverty? Did they bring us schools and jobs?” he asks. “We only see them out there during elections.” He adds that he voted for the Joint List the last time, but infighting broke it apart. “For me, this ship has sunk,” he says. |
| Yet Mr. Nafar’s pro-vote voice says that rather than the Titanic, he sees Arab politicians as the Mavi Marmara — the protest ship that tried to defy the Israeli blockade of Gaza in 2010, gaining international attention for the Palestinian cause. “It doesn’t make sense for me to give up a tool, when I hardly have any tools, so I’m going to vote,” he says. | Yet Mr. Nafar’s pro-vote voice says that rather than the Titanic, he sees Arab politicians as the Mavi Marmara — the protest ship that tried to defy the Israeli blockade of Gaza in 2010, gaining international attention for the Palestinian cause. “It doesn’t make sense for me to give up a tool, when I hardly have any tools, so I’m going to vote,” he says. |
| The alternative, Mr. Nafar said in the interview, would be to allow Israeli leaders to do whatever they wanted to Palestinian citizens — even if, as some extremist right-wing politicians would like, that meant transferring Arab citizens out of Israel. | The alternative, Mr. Nafar said in the interview, would be to allow Israeli leaders to do whatever they wanted to Palestinian citizens — even if, as some extremist right-wing politicians would like, that meant transferring Arab citizens out of Israel. |
| Voting, Mr. Nafar’s alter ego says in the video, was at least one thing he has the power to do to ensure “that I can sing to the boycotters, rather than talk to them in the transfer trucks.” | Voting, Mr. Nafar’s alter ego says in the video, was at least one thing he has the power to do to ensure “that I can sing to the boycotters, rather than talk to them in the transfer trucks.” |