Israeli cabinet approves 'Jewish state' bill

Link

Israel is poised to pass one of the most divisive laws in its 66-year history, a bill that would declare it the homeland of the Jewish people only -- and further alienate its Arab minority.

"The discussion on the nation-state (bill) puts obstacles in the way of peace," Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Tuesday. "It has met fierce opposition inside the Israeli government, Knesset and among the Israeli people."

It also says only the Jewish people have "national rights" -- the right to self-determination in Israel and to a flag, an anthem and free immigration. One draft proposed by a Likud legislator would remove Arabic as an official state language.

Israeli Arabs make up 20 percent of the population of 8.2 million and have long complained of being treated a second-class citizens.

I wonder who is fueling the war now...

Seems like some people never learn from history. Doesn't matter if they've been there themselves.

And how is this different from what other nations do in the region? Or is this one of those it's only bad because ebil joos did it things?

You've got any actual proof supporting your claim that other nations in the region do the same thing or are you just throwing words around?

Even if what you say is true how is that a justification for what the "democratic" state of Israel is doing?

What do other nations do?

Zionazies indeed.

I don't like the law in its current form or at the current time. But Israel is rightfully a Jewish state.

Whole region is fucked. Doesn't matter anyway they all live in the section of the world that in 40 years will barely be habitable due to heat and drought. Wonder how they'll feed themselves when no foods being brought in do to hunting and fishing stocks being depleted and they can no longer grow theirs due to climate. Most likely all of the countries in that region wont exist by the time I'm 50. At least in any way shape or form that resembles what they are now.

Treat minorities like crap and give themselves special privileges, hell non muslims are not even allowed in Mecca. The intolerance towards minorities in the region is well known, just not by you and the op.

.http://islam.about.com/od/hajj/f/mecca.htm

But hey, only Israel treats minorities like crap and gives their people special privileges. Eh op?

Hopefully that shit is stopped. However it's pretty hypocritical for you to only criticize Israel for doing this when a bunch of Arab nations already discriminate and even kill non-muslims.

I'm somewhat on the fence here. I think non-Jews in Israel should be treated fairly and equally on one side, but on the other, Jews still haven't recovered from the population loss resulting from the Holocaust, and they've been historically mistreated and oppressed for several centuries, and still are in many places. Not to mention Israel is surrounded by Arab states. I think they're entitled to that small country known as Israel.

So I am right, this is a hatred of joos thing. You didn't answer the question so I will ask again. How is this different from the rest of the region? All nations in that region treat minorities like crap and grant their own special privileges, ISIS anyone? Mecca is Muslim only.. Now how is what Israel doing bad and how is it different from other nations in the region? Can you answer that or continue to dodge it?

Someone doing something worse is not an excuse for you doing wrong. No Israel is not the only country in the world that does horrible shit, nor is it the worst. However it's still doing horrible shit and we shouldn't ignore that because their neighbours did something worse.

LOL. All of a sudden ISIS became a nation and thus is relevant to what we are discussing. If trolling is what you are doing then I suggest you take it elsewhere.

And for Israel to be compared to Saudi Arabia the womb of extremism. LOL. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

And it's a lot different. I've been to some of the countries in the region and the annoying thing about them Arabs is their "We're Arab. Arab is the master race." attitude which as stupid as it is, is calling for national integrity based on race rather than faith.

And you better not call me anti-jew. That's the second most insulting thing to me.

In the ME? Treat other religions as sub par.......to put it lightly.

I suppose it was always a jewish state first, a liberal democracy second, and it can't be both at the same time. It was bound to happen. They prize too much their culture, race etc. to make concessions to a full secular program. It has different roots and values from western civilization, even if we often mistake them to be an offshoot of european civilization (the nationalism certainly is) - it is not. No need for outrage, it changes nothing in practice, only the letter of law.

"the right to self-determination in Israel and to a flag, an anthem and free immigration."

What does that mean? Will Arabs still be able to vote? What about this "free immigration"? Is that just the ability to emigrate to Israel?

Apartheid: Unforgivable when Afrikaners do it in South Africa. Readily excusable when Jews do it in Israel.

It means that should the law pass the Knesset, the Arab refugees of war (for one) will not be able to come back to Israel ever. I don't know about voting though.

What are "Arab refugees of war"? Arabs from war torn countries which have emigrated to Israel as refugees and then go back to their country of origin?

Depends on what one means by Jewish state really. What the government means is more power to the rightists so that they can destroy people's houses because they are not Jewish.

Now I must ask what do you mean by "Israel is a Jewish state"?

@alim298: Where do you live?

i don't understand what, exactly, is the problem with an act solidifying the status of Israel as a nation state, when so many of world countries are nation states.

What you, or any other demagogues talking about this bill (in Israel or out of it) misunderstand, is that Israel is already characterised as 'a jewish state' in its basic laws. the only difference this bill seems to make is that it puts a paragraph about the jewish nature of Israel ahead of the paragraph about the democratic state of Israel, breaking the long accepted legal and symbolic term of 'A jewish and Democratic state'.

This causes fear in the secular public in Israel that Judaism will now take a larger role in Israeli jurisprudence, considering that up until now the Israeli supreme court interpreted Israel's 'jewish' nature as being non-religious ('jewish' being identified as originating from the legacy of spinoza and einstein rather than jewish religious law).

I'm talking about native Israeli Arabs who had to leave the place for various reasons. They won't be able to come back to Israel as "Israeli Arabs". They will be regarded as Arabs regardless of their ancestry because only Jewish people are Israeli by default. (should the law pass that is)

It certainly doesn't mean that, considering there are already acts dated from 1950 that deny the ability of arab refugees from the 1948 war to return. Israel will never allow those 'refugees' (considering UNRAW counts anyone with any genetic association with actual 1948 refugees, and now numbers them at around 12 million) to return, anyway, considering it will end Israel's existence.

Middle east

Yes that is obvious....why no specifics? I mean I'd tell you I'm from the US not North America.

that's an unequivocal lie

this act has no bearing on the rights or citizenships of non-jewish Israelis

Iran

I'm not sure that's true either. I read it somewhere (maybe it was aljazeera?) I've not seen any authentic document regarding this law as it has not passed the Knesset yet. if you find one let me know.

everyone has access to the proposed bill. like any bill, it's public record- It's also in hebrew. but here:http://index.justice.gov.il/StateIdentity/ProprsedBasicLaws/Pages/NationalState.aspx

there are two bills: one proposed by PM netanyahu, and one by 3 right wing members of his coalition.

It's very short and generic, and states things that are already very well accepted law in Israel. what it does do differently is: make an explicit appeal to the tradition of 'jewish law' as inspiration for israeli jurisprudence (this doesn't exist in netanyahu's bill, which is the one likely to pass), revokes to status of arabic as an official language in Israel and goes along the lines of:

1. Israel is the national home of the jewish people, and where they alone have the right of self-determination...

2. Israel is a country with a democratic regime; based on the principles of justice and freedom and obligated to the personal rights of all of its citizens, as specified in every basic-law

which is a contrast to every other basic-law in Israel that goes: 'Israel is a jewish and democratic state'.

I'm sure this piece of information won't be used against OP.

*crosses fingers*

where do you think he got the slew of fabricated details if not on pressTV or other Iranian state media?

Sorry to disappoint but I don't watch national tv at all. Have been busy and didn't get around watching pressTV either. As I said I think it was aljazeera.

Thank you. That was a mistake on my part then. Then again perhabs it was something that netanyahou said to the press? In which case it doesn't really matter since his words are not law.

i give a bit more credit to aljazeera english to believe this kind of misrepresentation came from them. but ok

just so we're clear, though: it's pretty shit even without the fabrications

It's some listless attempt to appeal to the Likud base constituency, in the face of growing palestinian violence, and considering the seemingly looming elections

someone should tell netanyahu that's not a good enough reason to **** with constitutional law, especially since this bill might single-handedly crash his coalition and bring about elections itself

lol no

despite what middle-eastern media and pro-palestinians try to paint him as, netanyahu would never purposfully say something even remotely outside of the Israeli consensus, and definitely not something as outrageous as 'only jews are real Israelis' or something of the sort.

Jordan's constitution:

Article 1
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is an independent sovereign Arab State. It is indivisible and inalienable and no part of it may be ceded. The people of Jordan form a part of the Arab Nation, and its system of government is parliamentary with a hereditary monarchy.
Article 2
Islam is the religion of the State and Arabic is its official language.

Egypt's constitution:

With its unique location and history, Egypt is the Arab heart of the world.
Article 1:The Arab Republic of Egypt is a sovereign, united, indivisible State, where no part may be given up, having a democraticrepublican system that is based on citizenship and rule of law.
The Egyptian people are part of the Arab nation seeking to enhance its integration and unity.
Article 2:
Islam is the religion of the State and Arabic is its official language. The principles of Islamic
Sharia are the main source of legislation.

Libya's constitution:

Article 1 [Principles]
Libya is an Arab, democratic, and free republic in which sovereignty is vested in the people.The Libyan people are part of the Arab nation. Their goal is total Arab unity. The Libyan territory is a part of Africa. The name of the country is the Libyan Arab Republic.
Article 2 [State Religion, Language]
Islam is the religion of the State and Arabic is its official Language. The state protects religious freedom in accordance with established customs.

Morocco's constitution:

Preamble
The Kingdom of Morocco, a Muslim Sovereign State whose official language is Arabic, constitutes a part of the Great Arab Maghreb.
Article 6 [State Religion]
Islam is the religion of the State which guarantees to all freedom of worship.

Yemen's constitution:

Article (1) The Republic of Yemen is an Arab, Islamic and independent sovereign state whose integrity is inviolable, and no part of which may be ceded. The people of Yemen are part of the Arab and Islamic nation.
Article (2) Islam is the religion of the state, and Arabic is its official language.
Article (3) Islamic Shari'ah is the source of all legislation.

Syria's constitution:

Article 1 [Arab Nation, Socialist Republic]
(1) The Syrian Arab Republic is a democratic, popular, socialist, and sovereign state. No part of its territory can be ceded. Syria is a member of the Union of the Arab Republics.
(2) The Syrian Arab region is a part of the Arab homeland.
(3) The people in the Syrian Arab region are a part of the Arab nation. They work and struggle to achieve the Arab nation's comprehensive unity.
Article 3 [Islam]
(1) The religion of the President of the Republic has to be Islam.
(2) Islamic jurisprudence is a main source of legislation.

Saudi Arabia's constitution:

Article 1
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a sovereign Arab Islamic state with Islam as its religion; God's Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet, God's prayers and peace be upon him, are its constitution, Arabic is its language and Riyadh is its capital.

Kuwait's constitution:

Article 1
Kuwait is an independent sovereign Arab State. Neither its sovereignty nor any part of its territory may be relinquished.
The people of Kuwait is a part of the Arab Nation.
Article 2
The religion of the State is Islam, and the Islamic Sharia shall be a main source of legislation.

Algeria's constitution:

Article 1 [Democracy, Republic]
Algeria is a People's Democratic Republic. It is one and indivisible.
Article 2 [State Religion]
Islam is the religion of the State.

Bahrain's constitution:

Article 1 [Sovereignty, Constitutional Monarchy]
a. The Kingdom of Bahrain is a fully sovereign, independent Islamic Arab State whosepopulation is part of the Arab nation and whose territory is part of the great Arab homeland. Its sovereignty may not be assigned or any of its territory abandoned.
Article 2 [State Religion, Shari'a, Official Language]
The religion of the State is Islam. The Islamic Shari'a is a principal source for legislation. The official language is Arabic.

Oman's constitution:

Article 1 [Sovereignty]
The Sultanate of Oman is an independent, Arab, Islamic, fully sovereign state with Muscat as its capital.
Article 2 [Religion]
The religion of the State is Islam and the Islamic Shariah is the basis of legislation.

Tunisia's constitution:

Article 5
The Republic of Tunisia is part of the Arab Maghreb and shall work to achieve its unity and take all measures to ensure its realisation

Mauritania's constitution:

Preamble:...Conscious of the necessity of strengthening its ties with brother peoples, the Mauritanian people, a Muslim, African, and Arab people, proclaims that it will work for the achievement of the unity of the Greater Maghreb of the Arab Nation and of Africa and for the consolidation of peace in the world.
Title I General Provisions, Fundamental Principles
Article 1 [State Integrity, Equal Protection]
(1) Mauritania is an indivisible, democratic, and social Islamic Republic.

Iran's constitution:

Article 1 [Form of Government]
The form of government of Iran is that of an Islamic Republic, endorsed by the people of Iran on the basis of their longstanding belief in the sovereignty of truth and Koranic justice,...
Article 2 [Foundational Principles]
The Islamic Republic is a system based on belief in:
1) the One God (as stated in the phrase "There is no god except Allah"), His exclusive sovereignty and right to legislate, and the necessity of submission to His commands; 2) Divine revelation and its fundamental role in setting forth the laws;
3) the return to God in the Hereafter, and the constructive role of this belief in the course of man's ascent towards God;
4) the justice of God in creation and legislation;
5) continuous leadership and perpetual guidance, and its fundamental role in ensuring the uninterrupted process of the revolution of Islam; 6) the exalted dignity and value of man, and his freedom coupled with responsibility before God; in which equity, justice, political, economic, social, and cultural independence, and national solidarity are secured by recourse to: a) continuous leadership of the holy persons, possessing necessary qualifications, exercised on the basis of the Koran and the Sunnah, upon all of whom be peace;
b) sciences and arts and the most advanced results of human experience, together with the effort to advance them further;
c) negation of all forms of oppression, both the infliction of and the submission to it, and of dominance, both its imposition and its acceptance.

"Palestine"'s constitution:

ARTICLE 1
Palestine is part of the large Arab World, and the Palestinian people are part of the Arab Nation. Arab Unity is an objective which the Palestinian People shall work to achieve.
ARTICLE 4
1. Islam is the official religion in Palestine. Respect and sanctity of all other heavenly religions shall be maintained.
2. The principles of Islamic Shari’a shall be the main source of legislation.

Ha. What do you know. I finally found out where from I got that information. From the very link I posted in this topic.

From reuters:

Palestinians say accepting Netanyahu's call could deny Palestinian refugees of past wars any right of return.

It still doesn't mean it's true. But at least that's what the Palestinians think according to reuters.

In any case I already knew that it's unlikely of netanyahu to say such thing. Simply because that's not his style.

@effec_tor:

Thank you for going through all that trouble.

As you can see for yourself those countries put a great emphasis on their Arab nature alongside their Islamic nature. So yes it's different.

How is it different?

Thats what bigots do.

I didn't say what they do is better. I said it's different. It's different because under their law a christian Arab is still an Arab nevertheless.

Shouldn't you be more concerned about ur country?

LGBT rights in Iran since the 1930s^[1] have come in conflict with the penal code. Homosexuality is a crime punishable by imprisonment, corporal punishment, or in some cases of sodomy, even execution.^[2] Gay men have faced stricter enforcement actions under the law than lesbians.^[3] Iran insists that it does not execute people for homosexuality, and that homosexuals who have been executed have either committed rape, murder, or drug trafficking.^[4]

Any type of sexual activity outside a heterosexual marriage is forbidden. Transsexuality in Iran is legal if accompanied by a sex change operation, with Iran carrying out more sex-change operations than any other country in the world bar Thailand. These surgeries are typically partially funded by the state, with homosexual men being pressured to undergo them both by government and society.^[6] Transsexuals still report societal intolerance as in other societies around the world.^[3]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Iran

A British-Iranian woman detained in Iran for trying to watch a volleyball game has been sentenced to one year in a notorious prison

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/nov/02/british-iranian-woman-jailed-watch-volleyball-game

most arab constitutions formally acknowledge the existence of a state religion, while Israeli law does not.

But the end result is still the same regardless on whether they're honest about it. If Israel makes it official that won't make it any better.

@effec_tor:

No I shouldn't. I will be concerned about whatever I want.

And where are you from so that I can get some dirt on your country as well?

I'm not going to comment on my country since I'm the only one from my country on OT that has an interest in politics. If I say anything regarding that you will consider it my people's general opinion so lay off your insolence.

This bill certainly doesn't make Judaism the official state religion in Israel, and Israeli law is certainly not compatible with jewish religious law or tries to follow it.

.

Those things are not mutually exclusive. Non-Jews can be treated fairly and equally in a Jewish state. Just like non-Arabs can be treated fairly and equally in an Arab state. Not saying that it is the case but there is no contradiction here.

That Israel is not only a state of its citizens but also all Jewish people. So the state of a Jew living in Europe is Israel. Basically the law of return. But it is as I said also a state for all its citizens. It is not more of a state for an Israeli Jew than for an Israeli Arab.

They don't want to destroy people's houses merely because they are not Jewish. That is silly.