President Rivlin: Nation-state bill 'liable to harm the Jewish people'
The president stated that this section may "harm the Jewish people, Jews throughout the world and the State of Israel."
By Jonathan Weber Rosen
President Reuven Rivlin wrote a letter addressed to the Knesset and
members of the law-making committee criticizing a section of the
nation-state bill on Tuesday morning.
The Jewish nation-state bill is a draft Basic Law with constitutional
heft that declares Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people. It
would anchor in law the state’s menorah emblem, Jerusalem as Israel’s
capital, national holidays and the right of all Israeli residents to
preserve their heritage without consideration of religion and
nationality.
Future components of the bill, which are subject to omission and
revision in future readings of the bill, include that Hebrew will be the
official language of the state, with Arabic receiving a unique status.
The letter was sent to the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Knesset, the Chairman of the Committee and it's members.
In his letter, the president expressed concerns regarding section 7b of
the law: "The State may allow the community, including members of one
religion or of one nationality, to maintain separate communal
settlement."
The president stated that this section may "harm the Jewish people, Jews throughout the world and the State of Israel."
Avi Gabay, the Chairman of the Zionist Union political party responded
to Rivlin's letter on his official twitter account: "we shake hands with
our President Reuven Rivlin. Our president is just, honest and does not
forget the values on which the state was established."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the controversial Jewish
nation-state bill the Likud’s top legislative goal before the Knesset
disperses for its extended summer-holiday vacation next week. But he was
having trouble passing it, due to UTJ’s opposition.
https://www.geezgo.com/sps/29959
No comments