JERUSALEM: Israel’s parliament is set to vote on a controversial piece of legislation that would define the country as the nation-state of the Jewish people.
A parliamentary committee has approved a final draft of the Nation State bill, paving the way for the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, to vote on its passage into law Wednesday.
Israel’s government says the bill, which would have constitution-like standing, enshrines the country’s Jewish character into law, but critics say it marginalizes the country’s Arab citizens, which constitute around 20 percent of the population, and threatens Israeli democracy. One clause of the bill downgrades the Arabic language from official to “special” standing.
Lawmakers removed a clause allowing the establishment of “separate communities” that was criticized as racist, replacing it with a clause encouraging “Jewish settlement.”
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Israeli parliament to vote on contentious Nation State bill
Israeli parliament to vote on contentious Nation State bill
- The bill enshrines the country’s Jewish character into law
- Critics say it marginalizes the country’s Arab citizens
UK, Canada, Germany and others condemn Israel’s West Bank settlement plan
- Statement from 14 countries condemns Israeli security cabinet’s approval of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank
- New settlements in the occupied West Bank 'violate international law and risk fueling instability'
LONDON: Countries including Britain, Canada and Germany and others on Wednesday condemned the Israeli security cabinet’s approval of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying they violated international law and risked fueling instability.
“We call on Israel to reverse this decision, as well as the expansion of settlements,” said a joint statement released by Britain, which also included Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain.
“We recall that such unilateral actions, as part of a wider intensification of the settlement policies in the West Bank, not only violate international law but also risk fueling instability,” the statement added.
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