CAVING in to pressure from far-right members of his coalition, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has backed a new law requiring prospective citizens of Israel to swear allegiance to a ''Jewish, democratic'' state.
The amended citizenship law, which looks set to be ratified by parliament on Sunday, is specifically aimed at non-Jews, particularly Palestinians marrying Israeli citizens.
Because all Jews have a guaranteed right to Israeli citizenship, Jews emigrating to Israel will not be required to swear the new oath of allegiance.
''Israel is the Jewish people's homeland,'' Mr Netanyahu said.
''It is so in its essence, in its government, its symbols, holidays and language, and that should be reflected by its Citizenship Act.''
Anyone who refuses to pledge allegiance to a Jewish state will be ineligible for citizenship.
With a non-Jewish population of more than 20 per cent, including around 1 million Israeli Palestinians, the new law has provoked accusations of racism and bigotry. Israeli's Minority Affairs Minister Avishay Braverman, who is a member of the left-of-centre Labour Party, slammed the amendment.
''This is an infuriating, irresponsible decision which will only fuel the fires of delegitimisation against Israel worldwide,'' Mr Braverman said. ''This decision will bear no benefits for Israel. All it does is send a negative message to Arab citizens.''
Knesset member Chaim Oron, who leads the left-wing Meretz party, also condemned the proposed law, and took aim at its main proponent, Avigdor Lieberman, the Israeli Foreign Minister who leads the nationalist Israel Our Home party.
''It seems the Citizenship Act was drafted in Lieberman's image,'' Mr Oron said.
''The act portrays a xenophobic, anxious, anti-civilian Israel. It is a shame that the government ignores our tragic history as Jews, and even discusses the issue.''
Even members of Mr Netanyahu's own Likud party, including Intelligence Minister Dan Meridor, attacked the bill.
''Why do we have to attach the word 'Jewish' to every proposal and emphasise to Arab citizens that this [country] is not theirs?'' Mr Meridor said.
Israeli Palestinian MP Ahmed Tibi said the decision to ***** new citizens to swear an oath of allegiance amounted to an attempt to assuage right-wing concerns over the direction of the peace talks between Israel and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
''It is meant to cement the Arabs' inferior class status by law,'' Mr Tibi said.
''No amendment will be able to negate the Palestinian narrative, which has been recognised worldwide.''
Another Israeli Palestinian MP, Mohammad Barakeh, said Mr Netanyahu had decided to back openly racist legislation.
Legal experts said that while the new citizenship law might be problematic, it was not *******.
''I'm not sure this is the smartest amendment, it's redundant and it will only alienate people, but there is no legal reason to dismiss it,'' said Professor Barak Medina, Dean of the Faculty of Law at Jerusalem's Hebrew University.
''It is legitimate for a nation to demand a pledge of allegiance to be included in a citizenship petition, when the characteristics in question have been defined as its core characteristics.''
Premium Link
Upgrade
