Israeli president stands against Jewish state law

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin voiced his opposition to Likud’s Jewish state law which threatens the coalition government, local media reported on Monday.

Speaking in a conference in Eilat, he criticised the elevation of the state’s Jewish identity over its democratic sensibilities, arguing that the two elements should remain equal.

Rivlin said: “Therefore, the declaration not only determines the complete equality of social rights for all its citizens, but religious, language, educational and cultural rights. The founding fathers of the State of Israel, envisioned a state whose Jewish nature and democratic nature, were as one.”

Adding: “So, we should ask ourselves seriously, what is the point of the proposed law?”

“Does this proposal not in fact encourage us to seek contradiction between the Jewish and democratic characters of the state? Does this bill not in fact play into the hands of those who seek to slander us? Into the very hands of those who wish to show, that even amongst us, there are those who see contradiction between our being a free people in our land, and the freedoms of the non-Jewish communities in our midst?”

The Jerusalem Post reported Israeli opposition leader Isaac Herzog saying: “Only a prime minister who lacks confidence needs a Jewish state bill to justify himself.”