During its election campaign, the Yisrael Beitenu Party stressed plans to demand loyalty from Israel’s Arab citizens, supporting a move to strip them of their citizenship in response to their refusal to do so.
 
Along those same lines, a ministerial committee is moving ahead with legislation that would make observance of the Nakba (catastrophe) illegal, the day marked by the Israeli Arab and PA (Palestinian Authority) communities marking the establishment of the State of Israel. The bill, if passed into law, would make mourning events on that day a crime, outlawing Nakba events. The bill will not only target the Arab community, but Neturei Karta as well, usually using the day to hold some mourning event. Violating the law would carry a punishment of up to three years in prison.

The original legislation approved by ministers was presented by MK (Yisrael Beitenu) Alex Miller, explaining he views the legislation as a step to safeguard and preserve the character of the Jewish democratic state.
 
One [expected] harsh reaction was released from the head of the Hadash Party, MK Mohammad Barakeh, who stated “the government’s approval of the bill is testimony to just how far down into the sewer the government has descended, as expected”.
 
Barakeh added the bill should be placed in the trash where it belongs, insisting Nakba observances will continue. He stated “one cannot rewrite history, which includes the catastrophe that befell the Palestinian people”.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)