On Sunday, the Israeli right-wing government is expecting to cast its ballots on a controversial proposition that might sanction racial prejudice against Palestinians and non-Jewish citizens within the Israeli occupation.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Israeli Minister of National Security from the extreme-right, submitted a proposal that aims to set Zionist ideals as the main values guiding Israeli government plans.
Israeli media has reported that the draft text provides emphasis on “Israel” as the homeland of the Jewish people and their right to self-determination, encompassing such matters as settlements, security, and culture.
This resolution gives precedence to Zionist values over other core principles, such as democracy and equality. No official version of the proposal has been made public yet, but Israeli media outlets have offered some details.
The Times of Israel reported that a stipulated component of the bill asserts that bolstering Jewish settlements is a key national priority, thus fostering and inspiring illegal settlements expansion. Also, the status of the Arabic language has been reduced from being officially recognized to being a “special” language with no additional description provided.
The proposal identifies Jerusalem as “Israel’s” capital, recognizes the Hebrew calendar as the country’s official state calendar, and acknowledges the Jewish holidays.
The proposal has been criticized for giving support to Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are considered illegal by international law.
Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper, has characterized the bill as a public recognition of apartheid tactics, citing that it would not only increase racial bias against Palestinians in the nation, but would also dissatisfy the Druze population, who faithfully serve in the Israeli military and perceive the law’s stipulations as bestowing them with lower-grade citizenship.
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