It is laudable that every new Knesset bill inspires debate. However, the global hysteria over the recently passed nation-state law is unjustified.
Many critics did not even read the law, which is purely declarative and in no way reduces the rights of minorities. Others echoed the exaggerated criticism published in the press.
On the other hand, had the government not made certain mistakes, much of the criticism could have been pre-empted.
The government should have accepted MK Benny Begin's amendment, which included two phrases: "full equality of rights for all its citizens" and "Jewish and democratic state." Although this would have been repeating the obvious, it would have made slandering Israel more difficult.
The second error was failing to consult minorities, particularly the Druze whom Israeli Jews love and admire. Many Druze believe, wrongly, the law discriminates against them. Others are cynically exploiting the situation to make demands. The government is unlikely to alter the law but will try to placate them by providing sweeteners that would have been unnecessary had it talked to Druze leaders in advance. If the Druze persist in extorting the government, many Israeli Jews will be deeply disappointed.
Despite allegations, the law does not represent "extreme" nationalism, and I challenge critics to find one clause that denies minority rights that were initially incorporated into Israel's Declaration of Independence.
These rights were reaffirmed in the 1992 Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty, whose purpose was "to protect human dignity and liberty, in order to establish in a Basic Law the values of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state."
Is not Israel entitled, as the nation-state law says, "to exercise national self-determination" on behalf of the Jewish people without depriving minorities of their democratic rights?
Is not the state entitled to its anthem, Independence Day, flag, language and to encourage Jewish immigration and settlement? Are these manifestations of extreme nationalism?
To avoid any misunderstanding, the law asserts that it "does not harm the status given to the Arabic language before this law came into effect."
The principal source of hysteria emanates from those with a record of demonizing Israel, among Europeans, progressives and American Jews.
A poll last week showed 58% of Israelis supported the bill, with 38% opposing. The projected strength of Netanyahu's Likud in the next election also rose from 30 to 33 seats after the bill was passed.
The criticism from Europeans is particularly offensive because many of them have similar constitutions and are governed by similar laws. Countless countries are officially Christian. Many are officially Muslim and a few are Buddhist. Where is the rationale for castigating Israel for describing itself as a Jewish state? Indeed, almost a dozen European countries, including England, have official state religions. The Basic Law is more liberal and does not enshrine Judaism as the official religion of the state.
For many American Jews, opposition to this law reinforces their image as liberals. Some Jewish organizations that rarely criticize Israel did so because of grass-roots pressure, particularly from liberal rabbis.
In Israel, the opposition parties condemned the law, yet seven years ago, MK Tzipi Livni was promoting a similar bill.
The leading far Left elements opposing the bill, who assert that it has transformed Israel into a fascist state, do so because they seek to de-Judaize Israel, transforming it into "a state for all its citizens."
The shrieks from radical Arab Knesset members are consistent with their unremitting attacks on their own country. The allegations of apartheid from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinians are pathetic, considering that a Palestinian state would prohibit the entry of all but the most compliantly anti-Israel Jews.
Most Israeli Arabs are happy to live in Israel – the only democracy in a region of barbaric conflict and dictatorships. They enjoy a higher standard of living and better opportunities than they would in any Arab country. An increasing number are engaged in professions and one need only enter an Israeli hospital where Arab and Jewish medical staff treat Jewish and Arab patients on a basis of equality, in order to repudiate slanders of apartheid or racism.
The rule of law applies to Arab citizens as it does to any other Israeli. They enjoy freedom of religion and do not live in fear of punitive amputations or decapitation as prevails in much of the region.
This law was designed to ratify classical Zionism, reject post-Zionism and reiterate that Israel is a Jewish state. Yet not a single clause can be construed as racist, denigrates minorities or suggests that they will be denied state support. Israel remains a democratic Jewish state with or without the law, which merely seeks to reinforce its identity.
There are legitimate grounds for criticizing the law, particularly errors of omission by the government due to a lack of foresight, but the hyperbole used by some of those opposing it is malicious and will foment hatred within Israel and provide aid to those nations seeking to besmirch us.
