The Ministerial Committee on Legislation on Sunday approved the National Law bill, aimed at protecting Israel’s status as the nation-state of the Jewish people. Minister Yariv Levin (Likud) who substituted for committee chair Ayelet Shaked (Habayit Hayehudi) said it’s about time to end the foot-dragging on this issue, and offered his commitment to promoting the bill in the Knesset’s summer session.
The notes accompanying the new bill say that its passage has become critical now, in light of attempts by foreign countries and international organizations to erode Israel’s status as the homeland for all the Jews.
MK Omer Bar Lev, who is one of the dozen or so politicians competing for the chairmanship of the Zionist Camp, said the new bill will mark the end of the current “extreme rightwing government,” which, he added, has nothing to offer the Israeli public other than hate, conflict and damages.
The bill’s original author, MK Avi Dichter (Likud), said the road was still long until his bill becomes a law, but this has been a positive first step.