Yesh Atid submits equal rights amendments to Nation-State Law

Published: NOVEMBER 21, 2023 17:32

PRESIDENT ISAAC HERZOG pays a condolence call to the Druze community. (photo credit: Courtesy President’s Spokesman’s Office) — PRESIDENT ISAAC HERZOG pays a condolence call to the Druze community.

(photo credit: Courtesy President’s Spokesman’s Office)

The three existing sections define Israel as the historical home of the Jewish people and the Jewish nation-state and make national self-determination in Israel exclusive to the Jewish people.

Yesh Atid MK Merav Cohen submitted amendments to the Nation-State Law on Monday night in an effort to expand the law to include equal rights for all citizens.

The first amendment suggested by Cohen was an addition to the nation's core principles as the Jewish state. Cohen's proposed section would further characterize Israel as "a home with equal rights for all its citizens".

The three existing sections define Israel as the historical home of the Jewish people and the Jewish nation-state and make national self-determination in Israel exclusive to the Jewish people. The sections are based on the Declaration of Independence but currently do not mention equal rights for minorities as the Declaration of Independence does.

Next, Cohen seeks to adjust the section of the law that classifies Hebrew as the official language of Israel. In the same section, the law currently gives Arabic "special status" but doesn't give it the status of an official language. As such, Cohen suggested changing it so that both Hebrew and Arabic become official languages in Israel.

Cohen's last amendment is to the section that says that Israel "sees the development of settlements as a national value and will work to encourage and advance" this value. Cohen's amendment would add that Jewish settlement in Israel would be done "in the spirit of this basic law's principles and for the benefit of the citizens."

Druze residents hand out food to Israeli soldiers who guard on a road near the Israeli border with Lebanon, on October 9, 2023. (credit: DAVID COHEN/FLASH 90)

Cohen's amendments were proposed following a letter sent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Yair Lapid by Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Muwafaq Tarif demanding the Nation-State Law be amended to ensure equal rights for his community.

FM Eli Cohen, Ofir Katz to write separate basic law on Druze status

Following the letter, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz announced that they would legislate a separate basic law to anchor the status of the Druze community in Israel.

On Sunday, chairman of the Northern Bedouin Authorities Forum Amir Mazarib requested of Minister Cohen to have the Bedouin community added to the new law as well.

"Including them in the law will not only recognize their sacrifice but also be a positive step toward recognizing the varied contributions of the whole Bedouin community in our country," he said.

MK Cohen's amendments were designed to include all Israel's minorities and promise them equal rights in the Nation-State Law without legislating a separate law that would risk discrimination of minority groups.

All 24 of Yesh Atid's members in Knesset signed their names to the amendments.