Israeli ministerial committee approves 'Jewish State bill'

An Israeli Ministerial Committee for Legislation yesterday approved a draft law that considers Israel “a nation-state for Jewish people”, Israel Radio reported.

“The Ministerial Committee has approved the bill proposed by MK Bennie Begin of the Likud Party,” the station announced.

The draft law defines Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, based on the foundations of liberty, justice and peace in light of the vision of the prophets of Israel, and upholds equal rights for all its citizens.

Member of the Knesset Osama Saadi of the Joint Arab List told the Anadolu Agency that “the approval of such a law did not come as a surprise as Israel has a right wing government that deliberately approves everything that is racist against Arabs in Israel.”

“We, as Arabs, will fight against the passage of such laws that intend to give Jews the right to control everything, and turn us Arabs into a minority in our own land,” he said.

Saadi pointed out that “racism against Arabs has become a trend at all state levels starting from government to the community.”