Toledano was the expert’s expert on Arabs, having served since br

1966 as adviser to the prime minister on Arab affairs (he re- br

mained in that capacity until 1977). His job was to chart Arab br

policy. The following is from a brief biography (1974): “This br

period (from 1966) is considered to be a period of br

liberalization. . . . During this period, military rule [for Arab br

areas] as well as closed areas have been abolished. Free and br

untrammeled movements have been given to all Arab citizens. br

Land restrictions have been set aside. Large sums of money have br

been invested in the development of Arab and Druze villages. br

The Arabs of Israel have reached an impressive standard of br

living. . . .”

Toledano was the man who for more than a decade became br

the symbol of Israel’s “goodwill, head-and-stomach” policy to- br

ward the Arabs. Under him the state exuded untold amounts of br

goodwill, devoted itself to feeding Arab stomachs and educating br

Arab heads, and raised high the magic banner of integration. br

Yet, to everyone’s dismay, the fuller the stomach and head, the br

fatter the pocket, and the greater the Israeli goodwill, the more br

“difficult” the once quiet and “reconciled” Arabs became.

Not to worry, repeated Toledano. “If we will treat the Ar- br

abs fairly we will keep them from the frustrations that occasion- br

ally lead to extremism” (Yediot Aharanot, December 3, 1971).

And as Arab frustration led, despite everything else, to br

more discontent and “radicalization,“ Toledano wrote: “They br

[the young Arabs] are a perplexed national minority strug- br

gling to find their way in a very complicated situation. Some- br

times, when the tension as to where he belongs is overwhelming, br

the young Arab feels he is torn in two” (The Israeli Arabs, 1974).

And the solution? Toledano concluded: “Israeli society br

must weaken the barriers [between Jews and Arabs], increase br

socio-economic intermingling, and create a mutual sense of re- br

spect” (ibid.). What Toledano was saying was that the policy of br

“goodwill, head-and-stomach” has not failed. We simply have br

not given the Arabs enough of it.

Other head-and-stomach experts pushed Toledano’s myth br

of the “torn Arab.” Thus, Dr. Yitzhak Ben Gad, Israeli column- br

ist for the Philadelphia Jewish establishment weekly Exponent, br

wrote (December 26, 1975): “The overwhelming majority of br

Israel’s Arab population has altered its standard of living br