Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 19 Jul 2018, 07:59 am Print
Jerusalem: Amid another controversy, the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) have passed the 'Jewish Nation Bill', thus, officially making it an exclusively Jewish state.
The bill, which downgrades Arabic as an official language, incurred the wrath of Israeli Arab MPs, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called it a watershed moment in the country's history.
"Israel is the historic homeland of the Jewish people and they have an exclusive right to national self-determination in it," the bill says.
It was passed with 62 MPs voting for it, while, 55 went against.
Following the event, Arab MP Ahmed Tibi termed it as 'the death of democracy'. It has also come under criticism from Adalah, an NGO which looks after rights of Arab people.
It said that the bill advanced 'ethnic superiority by promoting racist policies'.
Israel's 9 million population consists of about 20 percent Arabs.
Image: Beny Shlevich/Wikipedia
- G7 leaders unveil ambitious new strategy to combat global drug trafficking
- California horror: US Air Force B-52 crashes shortly after takeoff, 8 killed
- World leaders cheer US–Iran agreement ending key maritime tension
- ‘The deal is complete’: Trump claims major diplomatic victory with Iran
- ‘No judgment’: Trump slams Netanyahu over Beirut strike amid Iran deal push
