Strong Israel party leaders MK Aryeh Eldad and MK Michael Ben Ari asked Israel Police for permission for themselves and 70 other right-wing activists to campaign next week in Arab village Musmus in Wadi Ara. If approved, the event in Musmus will ring the opening bell for the far right party's campaign for the Jan. 22 elections. Members of the party have also voiced their plans to campaign in numerous other Arab villages in Israel. They are visiting these villages to make a statement that will attract right-wing voters. The MKs say that they have "authorization" to visit the Arab villages and cite the 2005 Talia Sasson report as justification. The Sasson report investigated the construction of illegal Jewish outposts in the West Bank. Eldad and Ben Ari said they plan on drafting a similar document about illegal construction in the Arab villages. The High Court of Justice ruled a few years ago that freedom of speech trumps the concern for potential violence against right-wing activists by Arab locals, therefore Eldad and Ben Ari will most likely receive the green light from police to stage their campaign. "Since Talia Sasson's report came out, subsequent Israeli governments have enacted a policy of selective enforcement that contradicts the law. The Arabs have built tens of thousands of buildings on Israeli territory and they still stand tall, while Jewish homes were subject to selective destruction. We will make a comprehensive and balanced report on the violations in the Arab sector," Eldad said on Thursday.
