Catholic priest calls on Arab MKs to resign to protest ‘racist’ nation state law

Greek Melkite Catholic priest of Kafr Kanna in the Galilee, Reverend Simon Khoury, called on all Arab members of the Israeli Knesset to resign in protest against the “racist” Jewish nation-state law which was passed this month.

Khoury said Arabs have lived this “racist law” as a reality for 70 years and it is now obvious that there will be no possibility for improved relations between Arabs and Jews.

“I call on Arabs to take a step to the back and submit an immediate resignation because their presence in the Knesset is a slap in the face for their constituency of our Arab-Israeli community, and their presence there will encourage the passing of more racist laws against us.”

READ: Israel Knesset sees record number of resignations

On 19 July the Israeli Knesset approved a controversial law declares that only Jews have the right of self-determination in the country and strips Arabic of its designation as an official language alongside Hebrew, downgrading it to a “special status” that enables its continued use within Israeli institutions.