Israeli cabinet approves legislation defining nation-state of Jewish people | World news | The Guardian
▻http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/23/israeli-cabinet-approves-bill-defining-nation-state-jewish-people
Israeli cabinet approves legislation defining nation-state of Jewish people
Opponents say proposed law would reserve ‘national rights’ for Jews and not for minorities that make up 20% of population
Peter Beaumont in Jerusalem
The Guardian, Sunday 23 November 2014 19.08 GMT
Binyamin Netanyahu The Israeli PM, Binyamin Netanyahu, argues the law is needed because the notion of Israel as a Jewish homeland was being challenged. Photograph: Barcroft Media
A controversial bill that officially defines Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people has been approved by cabinet despite warnings that the move risks undermining the country’s democratic character.
Opponents, including some cabinet ministers, said the new legislation defined reserved “national rights” for Jews only and not for its minorities, and rights groups condemned it as racist.