Far-right pressure pushes through Jewish loyalty bill

Israel's cabinet yesterday approved a bill requiring non-Jews who want to become citizens to pledge loyalty to the country as a specifically Jewish state.

According to the amendment, "Jewish and democratic state" will be added at the end of the pledge of allegiance which previously referred just to "the state of Israel."

The bill reflects the power of the far-right Yisrael Beiteinu party which became the country's third largest political grouping in 2009 elections by stoking fears of disloyalty among Israel's Arab minority.

Its campaign slogan was "no citizenship without loyalty." Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman, the foreign minister, said before the 22 to 8 cabinet vote that: "It is clear we are not yet done with the topic of loyalty and citizenship but this is an important step."

Ministers of the centrist Labour party voted against the bill.

Leaders of Israel's Arab minority and liberals fear the oath requirement may later be expanded to include Arabs who are already citizens. At present the new bill would not force Arab citizens to profess loyalty but it would require a foreign born spouse to do so. Thus it would make it even more difficult for Palestinian spouses of Israeli Arabs to become citizens.

Yaron Ezrachi, a Hebrew University professor who is one of the country's most distinguished political scientists, said: "They have crossed the red line between democracy and fascism. Loyalty in a democracy is to a neutral state not to an ideology of one section.

"We are on a slippery slope of a political system founded as a democracy changing to something else. A loyalty oath without a constitution is a prescription for fascism."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the bill, which still must be passed by the Knesset before it becomes law.

"There is no place for preaching to us about democracy and enlightenment. Zionism established for us an exemplary state. There is no other democracy in the Middle East and no other Jewish state in the world. This is the essence of our existence and anyone who wants to join us must recognize that."

Mr Netanyahu termed the bill "the embodiment of Zionism."

Israel's Arab minority - making up 20 per cent of the country's population of 7.5 million - are the descendants of the minority of Palestinians that remained in the country during Israel's establishment and the accompanying expulsion and flight of Arabs during the 1947-49 war. Arab citizens have the right to vote and the vast majority - but not all - of the privileges Jewish citizens have. In practice they face discrimination in all areas of life.

"This bill presents Israel as an apartheid state and puts twenty per cent of the population beyond the boundaries of citizenship.Where is their standing in the state," said Arab MP Taleb al-Sanaa.

Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog, who voted against the bill, said "there is a whiff of fascism on the margin of Israeli society. The overall picture is very disturbing and threatens the democratic character of the state of Israel."

Israeli analysts have speculated that the timing of the bill's passage reflects an effort by Mr Netanyahu to placate hardliners so that they will go along with a possible extension of a moratorium on Israeli settlement building in the West Bank.

The US is seeking such an extension in order to keep recently revived peace talks with the Palestinians from collapsing. Mr Netanyahu's office denies there is any connection between the bill and the freeze.