by Shlomo Cesana, Gideon Allon, Edna Adato, News Agencies and Israel Hayom Staff
Housing Minister Uri Ariel pledges to push Jewish state legislation forward in current Knesset session • Justice Minister Tzipi Livni: "I have opposed these initiatives in the past and I will do so even if the proposal is coming from the prime minister."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
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Photo credit: AP  |
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that he plans to promote legislation that will enshrine the country's status as the nation-state of the Jewish people.
"I will promote a basic law that will define Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people. I believe that it is appropriate that the most basic ingredient of our national life will get a constitutional status, similar to other integral ingredients which our regime is founded upon that until today were defined in the Knesset's basic laws," Netanyahu said in a speech in Tel Aviv.
Speaking at the site where Israel's Declaration of Independence was signed, Netanyahu said legislation was necessary. Israel's constitution is not codified in a single document, but a series of foundational "basic laws" describe central tenets of the state, define the roles of various government institutions, and protect civil rights.
"The Declaration of Independence sets, as the cornerstone in the life of the state, the national Jewish identity of the state of Israel," he said. "To my great regret, as we have seen recently, there are those who do not recognize this natural right. They seek to undermine the historic, moral and legal justification for the existence of the state of Israel as the national state of our people."
The "Jewish state" matter emerged as one of the major gaps between the sides in recent talks that broke down. Netanyahu has made it his central demand of the Palestinians to prove they are willing to coexist peacefully with such a state. But Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas says such an endorsement would undermine the rights of Palestinian refugees and Israel's own Arab minority.
Netanyahu, in his address, pledged that Israel will always "ensure full equality in the personal and social rights of all its citizens - Jews and non-Jews alike - in a Jewish and democratic state."
Addressing the peace process, Netanyahu said, "You cannot be in favor of establishing a Palestinian national state in order to preserve the Jewish character of the state of Israel and at the same time oppose recognition of Israel as a state for the Jewish people."
Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, who has tasked law professor Ruth Gavison with drafting an alternative to the controversial Jewish state law, came out against the prime minister's statement. "I will not allow [the state's] democratic values to be weakened and to bow to Jewish [values] -- that is the essence of the Declaration of Independence and the basis of our existence," Livni said. "I have opposed these initiatives in the past and I will do so even if the proposal is coming from the prime minister."
Opposition Leader Isaac Herzog (Labor) reacted to Netanyahu's pledge as well, saying, "Labor completely supports a Jewish and democratic Israel. Unfortunately, the political destruction coming from Netanyahu's school will cause us to lose the Jewish majority and to turn Israel into a binational state. This sad fact cannot be hidden behind any law."
Housing Minister Uri Ariel supported Netanyahu's initiative, saying, "We will work to move [the law] forward quickly, in the current Knesset session.
"I am sorry about the justice minister's opposition to this law," he added. "It is inappropriate. The negotiations did not succeed, but she is not to blame."
Coalition Chairman Yariv Levin, who presented the Jewish state bill along with MK Ayelet Shaked (Habayit Hayehudi), was pleased to hear Netanyahu's announcement. "This is a historic decision that will return Israel to the Zionist path after years of ongoing attacks from the justice system on the basic principles upon which the sate was founded," said Levin.
The legislation promoted by Netanyahu is similar to a bill former MK Avi Dichter (Kadima) put forward in the past, which Livni also opposed.
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=17245
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