The controversial move would amend the current citizenship law to include the phrase: "I swear to respect the laws of the state of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state," Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, said on Wednesday. Some commentators have suggested that the proposal, which will be put to a vote in cabinet on Sunday, is designed to persuade Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's ultra-nationalist foreign minister, to agree to an extension of a moratorium on new settlement building in the occupied West Bank. Recognition of Israel as a Jewish state is one of Netanyahu's key demands in any eventual peace deal with the Palestinians, but they have repeatedly rejected this as it would amount to an effective renunciation of the right of return for Palestinian refugees. Israel plans 'Jewish' loyalty oath - Middle East - Al Jazeera English Any hope of peace is starting to dwindle rapidly... The Israelis seem to be doing everything they can to drive the Palestinians away from the table.
Man, Lieberman is seriously just about the worst thing that has ever happened to Israel. With the exception of Yigal Amir.
itll create a lot of cryptos similar to the forcefully converted cryptochristian jews in spain way back in the day....
The new loyalty oath wouldn't force anyone to convert, that is if it even passes, its sole purpose is to swear allegiance to a Jewish state, with freedom for all religions. It's still pointless though, definitely... but in spain they forced conversions on pain of death.
yeah, surely not...i was thinking of those israelis that didnt necessarily believe the country was a "jewish" state...but had to take the oath...
Barak drafts alternative loyalty oath, based on 'liberal spirit' of Israel - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t \t \t\t\t\t \t\t \t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t \t \t \t Published 14:33 07.10.10 Latest update 14:33 07.10.10 \t \t \t\tBarak drafts alternative loyalty oath, based on 'liberal spirit' of Israel \t\t Labor ministers angered by Netanyahu's support of right-wing minister's proposal, which would require non-Jews seeking citizenship to pledge allegiance to 'Jewish and democratic state'. \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\tBy \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHaaretz Service\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t \t\t \t\t \t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t \t\t \t\t \t\t \t \t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tDefense Minister Ehud Barak on Thursday submitted his own draft amendment to the Citizenship Law, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a snap decision to back a controversial proposal that would require any non-Jew taking Israeli citizenship to swear allegiance to Israel as a "Jewish and democratic state." Angered by Netanyahu's move to bring the amendment to cabinet for a vote, Labor party ministers said late Wednesday that they expected a new freeze in settlement building as a payoff. \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tNetanyahu neglected to inform his Labor coalition partners that he had approved Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman's proposal. \t\t\t\t\t\t Barak called ministers from his Labor Party together on Thursday proposed submitting their own draft of a loyalty oath that would reflect the liberal and open spirit of Israel's declaration of independence. According to Barak's draft, prospective citizens would be required to say: "I declare that I will be a citizen loyal to the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, in the spirit of the declaration of independence, and I am committed to honoring the laws of the state." This draft resembles other loyalty oaths required in various countries. \t\t\t\t\t\t Barak's office requested that it be made clear the defense minister and his associates were not party in any way to the drafting of Neeman's proposal. The defense minister has asked that the alternative draft be brought to cabinet for deliberation on Sunday alongside Neeman's proposal. Netanyahu's support of Neeman's draft paved the way for a vote in the Knesset and was hailed as victory by ultra-nationalist Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party, Netanyahu's major coalition partner. But the prime minister must perform a balancing act. Allies at both ends of the political spectrum and the Labor Party said they hoped that his latest concession is a sop to right-wingers ahead of a decision to renew a ban on settlement building in the West Bank – a key demand of the left. "I hope that Netanyahu's support is a payoff to Lieberman, so that the prime minister will be able to extend the freeze without breaking apart his coalition," said one Labor minister, who declined to be named. U.S.-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, which began a month ago, have faltered since Netanyahu's government refused to extend a 10-month settlement freeze that expired in late September. "Netanyahu is under heavy pressure from the Americans," the minister said. "I presume that he intends to announce an extension of the freeze soon.
You can't get married in Israel unless you can prove you're a "real Jew" http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/magazine/02jewishness-t.html
The American Taxpayers apparently provide this country with $3 billion dollars a year... http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL33222.pdf
this excerpt is from the article (nice one too, nice and current): "...Almost all U.S. bilateral aid to Israel is in the form of military assistance...." The article says its pretty much for the region not descending into a more fucked up state than its already in... im sure us oil revenues from the middle east more than offset this "operational cost"...
This is ridiculous. This is such a petty thing, the only reason they would want to do this is to fuel controversy. There is no "reason" why they should do this. Only reasons why they shouldn't.
It doesn't change anything for them. It is simply a matter of words. But yeah, it's still fucking stupid... for that reason, it's just pointless words and reaffirmations... it sounds like Lieberman is just an insecure dick.
I think it would send them a clear message that Israel is a country for Jews only. Shocking that this is being put in place by the government of Israel. The same government that is supposed to be in peace talks. Israel needs to order and enforce a halt to all new settlements and further construction in all current illegal settlements if the Palestinians are to be expected to stay at the table. Its nice to be all respectful and chilled out now dude isn't it ? Peace...
"There is a whiff of fascism on the margins of Israeli society," Isaac Herzog, the social affairs minister of the left-leaning Labour party, told army radio on Sunday. "The addition to the citizenship law is entirely racist and transparent," Mohammed Barak, an Arab legislator, said. "Israel's law books have long been a guide for some of the most discriminatory and racist regimes in the world and in history." Dan Meridor, a Likud party member, said the law would exclude 1.5 million Palestinians who are citizens of Israel and will create a rift between them and the state. Israel set to vote on loyalty oath - Middle East - Al Jazeera English
you can say THAT again dan....but it should read "...will create a FURTHER rift between them and the state"....