Israeli Cabinet approves loyalty oath for new citizens

[oberliner]

Jerusalem (CNN) -- The Israeli Cabinet has approved an amendment to a citizenship law that requires new citizens to declare their loyalty to a "Jewish and democratic state," the prime minister's office said Sunday.

A statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed vote, saying 22 ministers voted for the change and eight voted against it.

Now that the proposal has passed the Cabinet, it will be taken up by Israel's parliament, the Knesset, for passage into law.

Before his government's weekly Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu made a forceful plea Sunday for changing the nation's Citizenship Law. He challenged criticism that the revision is undemocratic and could harm relations with the minority Arab population.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/10/10/israel.loyalty.oath/?hpt=T1

MK Tibi: Israel is a democracy for Jews, but not for Arabs

Israeli Arab MK Ahmed Tibi was quick Sunday to condemn the Cabinet's approval of a controversial proposal requiring non-Jews seeking citizenship to pledge allegiance to Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.

"The government of Israel has become subservient to Yisrael Beiteinu and its fascist doctrine," said Tibi. "No other state in the world would force its citizens or those seeking citizenship to pledge allegiance to an ideology."

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/mk-tibi-israel-is-a-democracy-for-jews-but-not-for-arabs-1.318219

[shira]

1. Here's Lieberman's rationale for it...

"During Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, I was appalled by the calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and for renewed suicide bombings that some Israeli Arab leaders called for at pro-Hamas rallies. Although 'responsible citizenship' had always been part of our platform, I realized that this was a burning issue that had to take top priority."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loyalty_oath#Israel

Obviously, what he refers to is problematic. What, besides this oath nonsense, should Israel do about this? :shrug:

[oberliner]

2. Perhaps hate speech legislation?

Although that would have to cut both ways - could Lieberman and his crowd handle it?

[shira]

3. That's not handled as hate speech in the USA, it's a federal offense. Is that how Israel...

...should handle it? :shrug:

[oberliner]

4. Isn't the "loyalty oath" just for new citizens?

Therefore it wouldn't really impact those remarks one way or another, right?

[LeftishBrit]

7. I suspect they want to extend it more generally.

[oberliner]

9. Hopefully they will be prevented from doing so

At least Labour has taken a stand against this.

[LeftishBrit]

5. Nasty stuff. And the RW settler ideologues are also nasty.

There are RW settlers who are quite prepared to defy government orders and put their country at risk for the sake of their ideology. They aren't loyal citizens any more than the pro-Hamas ones.

This does not mean that one should treat all Arabs (who were mostly born in Israel) as terrorism-supporters or dubious citizens. Also how does this relate to 'new citizens' as most of the people in question were probably not immigrants.

One could have tougher 'incitement' laws for all sides - depending on whether this is seen as a greater problem than some limits to free speech.

In any case, the oath is just an insult and worse to Arab citizens as a group. And no one will be restrained on either side from violence by having taken an oath - if you are prepared to commit violence, then you're probably also prepared to break an enforced oath!

[shira]

8. Good points, but I suspect tougher incitement laws will bring on howls of discrimination. n/t

[LeftishBrit]

12. If applied to all equally, then they should not.

If they are used in a discriminatory fashion, then the howls would be appropriate.

There is of course, the separate issue of free-speech and how absolute its protection should be.

[LeftishBrit]

6. Disgusting. Yisrael Beiteinu is poison

[oberliner]

10. Don't let Shas off the hook here either

And, of course, Likud.

[LeftishBrit]

11. Agreed!!!

[ProgressiveMajority]

13. Disgusting - Any Politcos in the US denounce this?

It would be nice if Obama or some other politicians were to condemn Israel for this law. Somehow though I'm not holding my breath.