Arab MK Dr. Ahmed Tibi is hinting to his chareidi colleagues that if the Cultural Loyalty Bill passes, the Arab MKs will have to “rethink” their position regarding support for the chareidi position on the Draft Bill.
As it appears, the bill is not likely to pass as Kulanu party chairman Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon has given faction members the option to vote their conscience, hence some are likely to oppose the bill. Kulanu MK Rachel Azariya has already announced she plans to oppose the bill, so it is likely the vote will be postponed, as with a coalition of a one-vote majority, passing controversial bills will not be easy.
The bill promoted by Minister of Culture & Sports (Likud) Miri Regev permits the state to withhold funds from cultural institutions affiliated with or incite terrorism. Clearly, this has the Arab lawmakers concerned, for some of their institutions are likely to lose state funding as a result.
Nevertheless, the Arab MKs have floated their warning, making their position clear to the chareidi MKs, that if their votes are critical, they must topple the bill of face real worries when it comes to the draft bill.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
I’ve never understood why the Supreme Court demands that only Jewish Israelis can be drafted but Arab Israelis aren’— seems pretty discriminatory to me. If the secular keep up their demands to draft haredim ,can’t we come back with why are they drafting Arab Israelis? Let’s see what the Arab MK’s think about that.
Actually the “Cultural loyalty” bill can be used against hareidim (remember who is defining “loyalty” and “culture”), and the conscription laws are also the basis of discrimination against Arabs. Give that Eretz Yisrael is dominated by secular fanatics who dislike Hareidim and Arabs, and would be delighted if both could be driven out, it makes sense for Hareidi and Arab politicians to cooperate.,
Never a good idea to scratch an Arabs’ back, he will always stab when your back is turned.
docelisheva,
Would you want these treacherous animals alongside you in a combat situation, ready in a moment to stab you in the back?
docelisheva,
Wouldn’t that be in the words of of the late Senator Moynihan “Defining deviancy Down”?!
I’d rather have all Jews doing the draft or National Service (go clean a bedpan for two years) vs allowing state funding for Jihad.