Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is seeking to codify Israel as the “nation-state of the Jewish people” in the country’s foundational legislation.
“It is my intention to submit a Basic Law to the Knesset that would provide a constitutional anchor for Israel’s status as the national state of the Jewish people,” Netanyahu said during a ceremony marking Israel’s Declaration of Independence at Independence Hall in Tel Aviv.
Netanyahu also insisted that the new Basic Law would respect the rights of non-Jewish minorities in Israel.
“The State of Israel will always preserve full personal and civil equality for all citizens of the State of Israel, Jews and non-Jews alike, in a Jewish-democratic state,” Netanyahu said.
Unlike the U.S., Israel does not have a formal written constitution, but instead operates on a series of “Basic Laws” passed since the country’s foundation in 1948, which form the basis of Israeli constitutional law.
{Matzav.com}
No other country (outside of the Islamic world) legally includes religion in its constitution. Mr. Netanyahu is only trying to put off the day when he would actually have to implement a two-state solution. His party has always been in favor of annexing the West Bank and has said so constantly. Perhaps we should believe what they say, and start interpreting what they actually do in terms of what they actually say.
but then if we don’t have a two-state solution, what happens to all the Arabs in the West Bank? If they vote, they will soon overturn any basic law anyway. If they aren’t able to vote, what happens to Israel as a democracy? Bein haroveh l’sakin – between the gun and the knife, as we used to say.
Why can’t he give exemption from the Army to yeshivA bachurim if he wants the state to have a Jewish character