Netanyahu to push forward Jewish State Law

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday said that he is pushing forward a bill which makes Israel a state only for Jews, local media reported.

Speaking during a meeting with his Likud party members, Netanyahu said it was time for the country’s courts “to recognise the aspect of our being the nation state of the Jewish people”. He said he would propose the law during the next meeting for his government on Sunday.

The bill, which was originally proposed by the Knesset member Ze’ev Elkin gives preference to Israel’s Jewish character over its democracy, the Times of Israel said.

The paper said that Netanyahu made the pledge to propose the bill as a form of protest against Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni who was tasked with reviewing the various forms of the bill and drafting a version the government could get behind, but she has not progressed yet.

Media observers said that proposing this bill at this time is very dangerous because of the ongoing tensions in the occupied city of Jerusalem.

“This is the nation state for Jews,” Netanyahu said, “and it is a basic and important issue for the future of Jews in Israel.”