Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beitenu party is moving to fulfill one of his main campaign promises – creating a loyalty oath for all Israeli citizens. From Ha’aretz:
Party spokesman Tal Nahum said the measure would require all Israelis to declare loyalty “to the state of Israel as a Jewish, Zionist and democratic state” before they can be issued a national identity document. The law requires all Israeli residents over 16 carry their identity cards at all times.
The party is submitting the bill for cabinet approval before sending to the Knesset where it will have to pass three votes and a committee review before becoming law. Ha’aretz quotes Oded Feller, who works for the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, as calling the bill “total fascism” and “a violation of democracy.”
This bill comes on the heels of another Yisrael Beitenu bill which would criminalize commemorating the Nakba. Three labor MKs have announced they will fight the bill because it “[damages] freedom of expression and freedom of association.” Ynet has an interesting article with reactions to the bill showing a split among Jewish Israeli public opinion. Israeli author Sami Michael, who serves as the president of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, put the bill in the context of shifts he sees within Israeli society. From Michael in the article “Experts split on ‘Nakba law’“:
In the last year, we have been witnessing a disturbing deterioration in the protection of the freedom of expression and the upholding of democratic values. Marking Nakba Day is no threat on the State of Israel’s security, but the legitimate basic right of every person, group or people to express their pain following a catastrophe. This is not just about the rights of the Arab minority but about safely crossing all lines towards the brutal oppression of everyone’s freedom of expression.
The article goes on to quote Professor Eliav Shuchtman, dean of the Sha’arei Mishpat law school. It’s safe to assume that Shuctman holds a view closer to the current ruling coalition in Israel. He does not view Israel as a state of all its citizens, and thinks the idea itself is offensive. Shuchtman:
The State has the right to educate the public and mold the citizens’ character, even through tools of legislation . . . I don’t see anything wrong with a State that proclaims it is Jewish not giving legitimization to the denial of it being so. Imagine US Jews declaring a day of morning on July 4 – that would be unacceptable. How can citizens view the birthday of the country they live in as illegitimate? People forget where we are living. Claims being made these days that it is a state of all its citizens is against international law and what was written in the British Mandate.
I’m not sure what part of international law Prof. Shuctman is referring to, but it should be interesting to see how these bills play out.
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