The Nationality Law was approved by the Ministerial Law Committee on Sunday, 11 Iyar. The bill, sponsored by MK (Likud) Avi Dichter, a former Shin Bet Director, and while well-intended it speaks for itself regarding the sad state of affairs that exists in Israel today.
As the smoke is still clearing from Israel’s 69th Independence Day celebrations, lawmakers feel the need to reaffirm Israel is the Jewish State and the official national language is Hebrew and Jerusalem is the state’s capital. The bill does acknowledge Arabic maintains a ‘special status’.
Acting committee chair, Tourism Minister (Likud) Yariv Levine explains that it was pushed through committee to bring an end to delays, which surrounded machlokes on the bill’s wording and the Nationality Law.
One has to scratch one’s head and question what is wrong with Israel today that compels lawmakers to pass a bill that will permit passing a law declaring Israel the Jewish state after 69 years of independence.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
But if Israel is a Jewish state, wouldn’t they also have to repeal most of the statutes, remove most of the politicians and almost all the judges, etc. By definition a Jewish state is based on Torah, not Herzl or a resolution of either the British Empire, the United Nations or the Kenesset.
Or by “Jewish” to they mean that Medinat Yisrael is similar to the local government organizations in Boro Park – a secular non-Jewish instituiton with many Jews present.
69 years of independence according to who it will be our state when the right time comes.
What’s Jewish about this government or high court? ??
NOTHING! !
That’s why they need to do this.
The Eida Charedit don’t need to do this ,because they are Jewish
How sad that the Israel desk editor on this otherwise good-quality website is someone with a different hashkafa than the standard visitors of the site, as can be seen from the above comments.
How sad that an editor on an English language website has a poor command of the English language.
Moderators Note: Yes Yakov, it’s sad. Very sad Mr. Rosenberg.
But it could be fixed. You can just send Yechiel Spira back to giving tours in the shuk, and find a replacement that doesn’t have those issues.