Israel - The Nation State of the Jewish People (Jewish Nation State Bill)

Many stupid bills are discussed in the Knesset, becoming hot potatoes in order to keep the right wing Netanyahu Coalition intact. There is none so stupid and idiotic as the bill to declare Israel, the Nation State of the Jewish People! 

Hello?As if after nearly 67 years of Independence, nobody is aware that Israel is a Jewish State and has to be declared as such by the right wing coalition today. Really? What was Israel in 1948 after the Declaration of Independence? Did all the previous governments of Israel prior to the present one not view Israel as a Jewish State and a state of all its citizens? Did the rest of the world, the majority of whom voted for partition in 1948 not view Israel as a Jewish state either? 

This is a tactic in order to seek legitimization of Israel as the "Nation State of the Jewish People" by President Mahmoud Abbas. Does Israel really need Mahmoud Abbas to recognize Israel as the "Nation State of the Jewish People"? After all, on all the official letter heads of Israel describes Israel as the "State of Israel" with the appropriate emblem, which even the Palestinian Authority recognizes as they have stated many times. This is not good enough for the Netanyahu Government. It is good enough for the rest of the world, even for the Saudi Initiative of 2002 which accepts Israel.

It is obvious that this is a delaying tactic used by the Netanyahu Government to maintain the status quo. This will prevent negotiations for a two–state solution. The Netanyahu Government wants peace with increased settlement building in the occupied territories that will achieve non-viability of a future Palestinian State alongside Israel. This is as plain as the noses on all our faces and like our noses being part of our anatomy, increased settlement building is an integral part of Netanyahu Coalition ideology.

 The idea of passing this law can only be the product of extreme nationalist ideology. It regards non-Jewish citizens in Israel as inferior, not entitled to equal rights. It is a disgrace that in Israel, this abominable ideology is alive and kicking in the Knesset.

Israel, as defined in its Declaration of Independence is appropriate, and so it shall remain. It defines Israel as a democratic Jewish State that ensures that all Israeli citizens have equal rights irrespective of race, creed and color. Why does the Bayit HaYehudi Party see fit to change it in order to gain more support from Jewish extremists as a populist action? The problem with these Bayit Hayehudi whacko racists is that the Declaration of Independence does not ensure that non-Jewish Arab citizens of Israel will become second class citizens, who are here on borrowed time. Avigdor Lieberman, the expat Russian, Ze'ev Elkin, another expat Russian have not lived here for generations like the Arab Israelis whom they wish to transfer to other lands.Of course, the Netanyahu Government denies this. These two Russian expats are enthusiastically joined by MK's Ayelet Shaked, Naftali Bennett, the multimillionaire "Start-Up wiz" or rather the "Upstart wiz", Yariv Levin and the whole bunch of like-minded right wing MKs and cabinet minister settler, Temple Mount troublemakers. 

The claim by the Likud and its coalition that it does not degrade the Arab and Druze citizens of Israel is ludicrous. Would they claim otherwise? Of course they would not! If the President of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, Attorney-General Weinstein and even some judges in the law courts have come out against this bill. Are they also viewed as being traitors by the coalition, some of whom are against this bill as well? Shimon Peires, the past President of Israel, also expressed opposition to this bill. 

It is a vengeful, unnecessary bill that creates second class citizenship for non-Jewish Israeli citizens. Apart from that, it goes against the Declaration of the State of Independence which has stood the test of time and has not changed the status of Israel by endangering its identity as a Jewish State. The only problem is that over the years the Declaration of Independence has been eroded when it comes to ensuring the equality of the minorities in Israel before the law. Now with the future "Nation State of the Jewish People" Law about to be enacted, democracy will be compromised and the victims will be everybody. 

A possible victim of this bill, because of the timing of the act of vandalism, on a dual medium school catering for Jewish Israelis and Arab Israelis carried out by the despicable, racist Price Tag organization.

This disgusting bill will also not serve Israel's interests in the international community.

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