European Union, American Jewish groups, Turkey and others have expressed deep concern over the law.
Caravan News
JERUSALEM: Israel is receiving global reactions for passing a new law that proclaims Israel as a “Jewish nation-state” – strong criticism and condemnation have come from the European Union, several American Jewish organizations, Turkey, Hamas, Israel Arab law makers and non-Jewish Israeli diplomats.
The European Union said it was concerned about a new Israeli law that I said would complicate a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
“We have expressed this concern and we will continue to engage with Israeli authorities in this context. We’ve been very clear when it comes to the two-state solution, we believe it is the only way forward, and any step that would further complicate or prevent this solution of becoming a reality should be avoided,” a spokeswoman for EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said in a news briefing.
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) said it was “deeply disappointed” by the bill’s passage, complaining specifically about the Arabic clause and another that says that “the state views the development of Jewish settlement as a national value” and “will act to encourage and promote its establishment and consolidation.”
“We respectfully ask the government of Israel to clarify these and other questionable elements of the bill, and to reaffirm the core principles and values that make up the very foundation of Israel’s vibrant and admired democracy,” the AJC said.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a group of non-Jewish Israeli diplomats expressed concern over the law.
“Now that this law has been passed by the Knesset, the State of Israel has an obligation to ensure that, in practice, this Basic Law is not used to discriminate against minorities, particularly its Arab citizens, and that the state maintains its commitment to improve relations between Jews in Israel and those around the world,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt and Israel director Carole Nuriel.
Turkey has also condemned Israel. “Identifying the right to self-determination as a right given only to Jews is the result of an outdated and discriminatory mentality,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Israel’s parliament (Knesset) after a stormy session on Thursday passed into law a controversial bill that defines the country as an exclusively Jewish state with Jerusalem as the Israeli capital city. 62 MPs voted for the bill, with 55 against.
Israeli Arab MPs condemned the legislation but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised it as a “defining moment”.
The move was widely criticized as an apartheid measure that could lead to discrimination against its own Arabs who represent about 20 per cent of Israel’s 9 million population.
Arab MP Ahmed Tibi said the bill’s passing represented the “death of democracy”.
Adalah, an Arab rights NGO, said the law was an attempt to advance “ethnic superiority by promoting racist policies”.
Palestine Liberation Organization or PLO Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi condemned the law, asserting it violates international law.
“The ‘Jewish nation-state’ law gives license to apartheid, discrimination, ethnic cleansing, and sectarianism at the expense of the Palestinian people. Such racist and prejudicial legislation is illegal by all standards of international law, democracy, humanity, justice, tolerance, and inclusion,” she said.
Fawzi Barhoum, a spokesman of leading Palestinian group Hamas blasted the law, contending that it constitutes “a dangerous attack on the Palestinian people and its historic right to its land.”
“These extremist laws and resolutions would not have been approved if it were not for the regional and international silence on the occupation’s crimes and violations. All these laws and resolutions are baseless and they will not come to pass or change anything on the ground. The Palestinian people will remain the sovereign of this land,” Barhoum said.
