"Do not persecute the stranger"

[Dr. Dan]

It's been a debate that has come up between leftist Jews and Kahane in the past claiming the Arabs are strangers in the land of Israel.

In the Torah it states that we should not forget we were strangers in Egypt and that we should not persecute strangers in Israel.  The argument that Kahane put forth was that stranger really means convert to Judaism.  However, by the context of what is written in the Torah, Jews did not convert to Egyptian culture..so perhaps stranger really means a non Jew as well.

Aside from this point, if a stranger in your country wants to take your country from you and persecute you and kill you, that doesn't count. 

So if any one here can shed some light on the the definition of stranger as it relates to a non Jew living in Israel, what is the real answer?

Certainly Jews should not persecute a convert to Judaism.  What does it say about a non Jew who lives in Israel who pays tribute and servitutde?

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

  Their is 2 types of "strangers" - or Gerim 1) A Ger Tzedek (A righteous convert ) and 2) A Ger Toshav (A Resident alien) . Rav Kahane goes into great detail about a Ger Toshav. Ger Tzedek is basically a convert. Bound by all Halachot of Judaism and we are to love him/her like any other Jew. Also be more sensitive that they come from a different culture/nationality. - A Ger Toshav at the minimum needs to accept the 7 laws of Bnai Noah and be loyal to the State as everyone else as well. Arabs don't even fit this criteria even before speaking of a few others as well. Arabs more resemble (in the psychology) the Cannanite nations and we know the laws in dealing with them.

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

  Actually you answered it as well- who pays tribute and servitude. That is a requirement + the 7 Noahide laws. In exchange they get other benefits including protection from outside enemies, no army service, and non-Kosher meat goes to them and in general if they are poor they get financial benefits.