Itongadol.- After scorching criticism, prime minister defends his \’Jewish state\’ basic law proposal, saying existing legislation gives full expression to Israel\’s democratic nature, but not its Jewish nature.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his Basic Law: Nationality proposal on Sunday, saying Israel\’s Jewish character needs to be enshrined in legislation in order to prevent a bi-national state.
"Some people want a Palestinian state alongside a bi-national state in Israel in our tiny territory and I say – you can\’t light the national candle on both ends. (You can\’t) disengage in order to prevent a bi-national state and at the same time revere a bi-national state in Israel\’s territory," he said at the weekly cabinet meeting.
Israel\’s basic laws, Netanyahu said, give full expression to its democratic nature by "giving equal rights to every citizen in Israel with two laws: Human Dignity and Liberty, and the Freedom of Occupation."
"At the same time, there isn\’t enough expression to the State of Israel\’s nationality, and this is what Basic Law: Nationality will have to offer and provide," he said. "It will define the national right of the Jewish people to the State of Israel without harming individual rights."
The prime minister noted the bill will also "fortify the right of return\’s status in a basic law" as well as establish national symbols.
Netanyahu has caused a stir in the political system on Thursday when he announced intention to promote a Basic Law that would enshrine the country\’s status as the nation-state of the Jewish people.
Palestinians still fear this label would lead to discrimination against Israel\’s sizeable Arab minority, which makes up a fifth of its population, and negate any right of return of Palestinian refugees from wars since 1948 to what is now Israel.