I can't add much to
TheLady's
writeup (except that
AFAIK it's all depressingly true), but it should be noted that
Israeli Arabs can and do
vote and hold
public office (
for what it's worth;
Americans generally seem to assume the contrary, anyhow), and that from what I've seen and read,
TheLady's moderate and reasonable view of things is not rare among
secular Israelis.
And also that the whole thing has a context, in light of which it may not be more
defensible, but is certainly more
comprehensible.