Israel’s Financial capital marches against the introduction of a controversial new “Jewish-State” law. Israel is a country located in Western Asia, bordering Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories. It has a population of 8.9 million which is predominantly Jewish (74.7%) with Islam being the..
Israel’s Financial capital marches against the introduction of a controversial new “Jewish-State” law.
Background
Israel is a country located in Western Asia, bordering Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories. It has a population of 8.9 million which is predominantly Jewish (74.7%) with Islam being the second most popular religion (17.7%). Israel’s history dates to the pre-biblical times, and it has been a part of many kingdoms and empires throughout history.
The controversial “Jewish-state” law, which was introduced last month by the Benjamin Netanyahu-led government, effectively reaffirms Israel to be a Jewish State. The law proposes a change to the Basic Laws of Israel to reconstitute Israel as the Jewish nation. Although it may be factually correct to assume Israel was a Jewish state already, the Basic Laws provided for a secular nation, under which Arab Muslims, Christians and the Druze minorities would enjoy the same status as Jews.
Analysis
PM Netanyahu’s Likud party has been aggressively pushing a new meaning of what it means to be Israeli. The new law serves the purpose of establishing Israel as a Jewish State, a country which was formed on secular principles and democratic values. The new law distinguishes between followers of the Jewish faith and non-followers such as Arab Muslims and Christian. As followers of the Jewish faith constitute close to 75% of Israel’s population, Muslims and Christians are a relative minority.
The Druze are an Arab minority who live in Northern Israel. They number less than 2% of Israel’s total population but are an integral part of the Israeli society, whether it be serving in the armed forces or as part of the government. The new law will enable the government to give Jews preferential status while treating minorities like the Druze, as second-class citizens. This is in addition to the status-quo where non-Jewish individuals are being denied access to resources or suffer from smaller budget allocations for education, healthcare and housing. The Druze have had special status since the 1950s, and unlike the Muslim or Christian population, they can serve in the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). The Druze are one of the most vocal protestors against the new Jewish State law.
Perhaps one of the more consequential aspects of the new law is the classification of Israeli settlements in disputed Palestinian territories as assets of “national value”. The state must protect and secure them, and there is a possibility of quicker expansion in the near future. Analysts speculate that the law may reflect a more aggressive stance of the Israeli government on building settlements in Palestinian territories. Despite numerous United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions condemning Israel for building settlements on disputed territory, Israel has continued to build footholds deep inside the Palestinian territory.
One of the more visible changes the law brings out is making Hebrew the official language of Israel. Previously, Hebrew and Arabic were official languages, but this legislation appears to downgrade the status of Arabic as a language in Israel. Arabs, who are also Israeli citizens, make up close to 21% of the population and have inhabited Israel for generations. Recognising Hebrew as the only official language of the country is a strong, but a silent policy to divide the population between followers of the Jewish faith and the non-followers.
PM Netanyahu would go on to highlight in a cabinet meeting that “Israel is a Jewish and democratic state. The individual rights of its citizens are anchored very well in the basic laws and other law. Now it is clearer than ever that the nation-state law is also necessary.” It may be prudent to refer to the Basic Law of Israel, which clearly established the State of Israel as a secular democracy, not only as a home for the Jewish faith but for the follower of all faiths.
Assessment
Our assessment is that this change to the Basic Laws of Israel is a potent sign of the Likud Party’s grip on the government, despite numerous allegations of corruption against the Prime Minister. We feel that the protests in Tel Aviv will be the first of many, within the coming weeks as protestors have likened the law to the Apartheid laws of South Africa. We also believe that there may be a strong condemnation within the Israeli Parliament from more tolerant political parties.
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