[ad_1]
The Israeli president on Tuesday raised an alarm over a bill seen as opening the door to the establishment of exclusively Jewish communities in the country.
Reuven Rivlin's comments marked a rare intervention in politics by the country's president.
He expressed his concerns in an open letter, indicating a clause in the bill defining Israel as "the national house of the Jewish people".
The so-called nation-state law, which the government hopes to have approved by the end of the month, could be part of the country's basic laws that serve as a de facto constitution.
The criticized Mr. Rivlin clause would allow the state "to authorize a community composed of persons having the same faith and the same nationality to maintain the exclusive character of that community."
This has was considered to allow cities to exclude Arab citizens, who represent about 17.5% of the population of Israel, or even other Jewish communities.
Rivlin said the legislation "could harm the Jewish people in the world and in Israel, and could even be used as a weapon by our enemies."
He said that the bill could allow the establishment of cities that would exclude Jews of Middle Eastern origin, ultra-orthodox or homobadual Jews.
[ad_2]
Source link
