Israel adopts nationality law

Israel adopted the draft law on nationality
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday hailed the promulgation of the Zionist vision, fueling the anger of critics who claim he is racist

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"One hundred and twenty-two years after Herzl published his vision, we have enshrined in law the basic principle of our existence," said Netanyahu. about the law, which was supported by the right-wing government in a heated debate in the Knesset by a vote of 62-55.

Knesset members Benny Begin (Likud) and Orly Levy-Abekasis abstained in the 120-member Knesset after months of political argumentation, while Arab lawmakers, who say that the law is racist and screams on a codification of the apratheid after the vote, the Speaker of the Knesset, Yuli Edelstein, decided to remove the Arab deputies from the plenum.

"It's a defining moment in the annals of Zionism and the history of the state of Israel," Netanyahu told the Knesset after the vote.

Israel, said Netanyahu during the pandemonium that broke out at the Knesset Plenum, is the only country in the Middle East that honors equal rights.

"Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people that honors the rights of all its citizens … When I make speeches around the world, I repeat that it is our country, the country of the Jewish nation, "he said, explaining the reasons for the law.

"In recent years, some have tried to question that and, in doing so, they are questioning the fundamentals of our reason for which we have enshrined in our law our hymn, our language and our flag, long live the State of Israel, "he declared on the podium.

Largely symbolic, the law was promulgated just after the 70th anniversary of the birth of the state of Israel. It states that "Israel is the historic homeland of the Jewish people and they have an exclusive right to national self-determination".

The bill also removes Arabic from its designation as an official language alongside Hebrew, reducing it to a "special status" that allows it continued use within Israeli institutions .

Israeli Arabs are about 1.8 million, or about 20% of the 9 million inhabitants.

Early drafts of the legislation went further in that critics at home and abroad considered discrimination against Israeli Arabs.

The clauses that were dropped in last-minute political quarrels – and after the objections of the Israeli president and attorney general – would have legalized the creation of exclusively Jewish communities, and ordered the courts to rule according to the Jewish ritual law. no relevant legal precedent.

Instead, a more vaguely worded version was approved, which says: "The state considers the development of the Jewish colony as a national value and will act to encourage and promote its establishment."

Even after the changes, critics said the new law will deepen the sense of alienation within the Arab community. minority.

"I announce with shock and sadness the death of democracy," said Ahmed Tibi, an Arab deputy, to reporters.

The Minister of Tourism, Yariv Levin, one of the authors of the bill, also spoke in plenary session after the adoption of the law. "It is a historic and defining moment, the law on nationality reinforces identity and inheritance and all the values ​​for which Israel exists," he said.

Turning to the deputies of the Zionist Union camp who opposed the law, Levin asked a series of questions.

"What is it against this law? What part is unacceptable to you? Is not the Land of Israel the homeland of the Jewish nation? Is it not our state of nation? Is our flag unacceptable to you ?, he asked.

MK Avi Dichter (Likud), who also sponsored the bill, explained his reasons for pbading the law. "We are dedicating this important bill to a law today to prevent even the slightest thought, let alone try, to turn Israel into a country of all its citizens," he said.

"When I listened attentively to the deputies of the common list, it was impossible to miss their clear words:" We, the Arabs will win, we are in our homeland, we were here before you and we will be here after you . & # 39; This basic law is the clear answer to those who think that and it is clear: you were not here before us and you will not be here after us, "he replied.

"All you can do is live among us as a national minority who enjoys equal individual rights, but not equality as a national minority," Dichter added.

MK Amir Ohana (Likud), who headed the Knesset's joint committee on the draft law on nationality, also said that the vote marked a "defining moment" in the history of the Knesset. 39; Israel.

"We do not have 21 national nation-states as the Arab nation.It is a historic fundamental law which, for the first time, explicitly consolidates the different components of the character of the nation. 39, State of Israel, as the nation-state of the Jewish people, "he said.

The leader of the Zionist Union Tzipi Livni argued that the intention of the bill was not to define Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, but rather to benefit Netanyahu.

"When I asked the coalition members why they could not accept a law on which 100 members could agree, they responded that Netanyahu wanted the law to be If not, how will people know that he is more nationalistic than you? What will he get from that? ", she said.

MK Benny Begin pointed out that he would not give a hand to the bill The Likud party said: "This is not the decision I expected from the Likud leadership."

"Seven years ago, my initial proposal received a lot of support, but times have changed and the denial of a commitment to stand up for equal rights has been denied. Civilians are considered today as not being against the Likud symbol as a liberal national party, "he said.

"We have learned that these two concepts are inseparable and that, therefore, they should both express themselves: nationalism that does not preserve human rights is transformed into violence, beware of my friends from this detachment. "

President Ayman Odeh expressed his anger by saying, "Since the Kfar Qasim mbadacre was a manifestly illegal order with a black flag on it, this law also has a black flag on it," said Odeh waving. a black flag in reference to the 1956 Kfar Qasim mbadacre by the border

Netanyahu defended the law. "We will continue to guarantee civil rights in Israeli democracy, but the majority also has rights and the majority decides," he said last week.

"An absolute majority wants to ensure the Jewish character of our state for future generations."

The Arabs who remained in Israel after the 1948 War of Independence all have the same rights as the law, but claim to be constantly confronted with discrimination, citing inferior services and unfair 39, education, health and housing.

Adalah, the Legal Center for the Rights of Arab Minorities in Israel, called for the law to promote "ethnic superiority by promoting racist policies."