Israel's Nation-State Law Explained
- 5 years ago
Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s parliament passed a bill that officially declared Israel a Jewish state in July 2018. The “nation-state” legislation defines things like Israel’s national holidays, symbols, and the state’s connection to Jewish heritage.
Supporters of the bill say at worst, it’s a symbolic nod toward Jewish unity that won’t actually impact the lives of citizens day-to-day and, at best, it’s a “defining moment” for Zionism.
Critics, including many international Jewish groups, say Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing majority coalition are bolstering “tribalism” or, even more severely, “apartheid.”
But what does this mean for the near quarter of Israel’s population that isn’t Jewish?
The controversial “Nation-State” bill declared Jewish settlement a “national value” and made the right to national self-determination in Israel “unique to the Jewish people.” Key contentious clauses were removed late in the game, including one that would “authorize a community composed of people having the same faith and nationality to maintain the exclusive character of that community.” Basically: legal segregation based on religion or ethnicity.
Despite the ones that were removed, plenty of controversial sections also stayed put.
For example, the bill revokes the 70-year status Arabic had as an “official” state language, downgrading it to a “special status” and making Hebrew the state’s only official language.
We sat down with Aida Touma-Sliman, an Arab Israeli member of the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, for her take.
This video, "Israel's Nation-State Law Explained", first appeared on
nowthisnews.com.
Supporters of the bill say at worst, it’s a symbolic nod toward Jewish unity that won’t actually impact the lives of citizens day-to-day and, at best, it’s a “defining moment” for Zionism.
Critics, including many international Jewish groups, say Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing majority coalition are bolstering “tribalism” or, even more severely, “apartheid.”
But what does this mean for the near quarter of Israel’s population that isn’t Jewish?
The controversial “Nation-State” bill declared Jewish settlement a “national value” and made the right to national self-determination in Israel “unique to the Jewish people.” Key contentious clauses were removed late in the game, including one that would “authorize a community composed of people having the same faith and nationality to maintain the exclusive character of that community.” Basically: legal segregation based on religion or ethnicity.
Despite the ones that were removed, plenty of controversial sections also stayed put.
For example, the bill revokes the 70-year status Arabic had as an “official” state language, downgrading it to a “special status” and making Hebrew the state’s only official language.
We sat down with Aida Touma-Sliman, an Arab Israeli member of the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, for her take.
This video, "Israel's Nation-State Law Explained", first appeared on
nowthisnews.com.