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Some 7,000 people took to the streets of Tel Aviv to protest a controversial bill declaring Israel exclusively the "nation-state of the Jewish people".
Several politicians, social activists, Israeli public figures and lawmakers took part in Saturday's demonstration to condemn the discriminatory nature of the measure.
The bill is expected to reach a final vote in the Israeli parliament (Knesset) on Monday. If adopted, it could be part of the basic laws of Israel that constitute a de facto constitution.
The bill gives priority to Jewish values over democratic values in the occupied territories, says Jerusalem al-Quds as the capital of Israel. Only communities consider Hebrew as the official language of Israel and relegate Arabic from an official language to a "special status".
In a joint statement, the participating organizations said: "The law of the nation-state would transform racism, In response to this demonstration, Israeli MP Ayman Odeh, who chairs the Arab-majority Joint List , said the bill was aimed at "putting a finger in the eyes of a fifth of the people of Israel, triggering a dispute and polarizing in order to make a political profit for the tyranny of Netanyahu. "
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that pbadage of the law is one of his top priorities. He hopes the bill will be approved before parliament begins its summer vacation on July 22.
"The nation-state bill will not make us disappear, but it will mbadively undermine democracy.The big demonstration was an important step in the fight against fascism," said Odeh.
Under an Israeli regime that "has lost all shame, fears its own shadow, the majority tramples on the minority, the legislation is racist and the democratic space. Israelis protest against the controversial bill of law. Nation-state in Tel-Aviv July 14, 2018. (Photo: AFP)
Lawmaker Tamar Zandberg, who heads the Merez party, accused the Israelis Rabbi Gilad Kariv, leader of the Reform Movement in Israel , described the bill as "despicable."
"The real score we have to settle is with those who are elected by the public (Knesset members) who know how much the bill of the nation will tarnish the Israeli law book and remain silent. "
A group of 14 American Jewish organizations also voiced their concerns about the controversial bill in a letter to the leader of the opposition party. Knesset, Isaac Herzog.
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