On Masalha nomination as a deputy FM in Israel

The British daily the Times said on Friday that analysts consider the appointment of Nawaf Masalha, member of the Israeli Knesset of Israel's Arabs in the post of the deputy FM in Israel is an indication that the government of Ehud Barak is careful to make the Arabs of Israel more attached to the Israeli entity.

In a report quoted by the BBC on Friday, the Times added that the one million Arabs who carry the Israeli nationality and live in Israel, had been in the past hesitant over maintaining firm ties with the Israeli foreign policy for fears to be accused by other Arabs "of treason or selling themselves."