Criticism of The Israeli Nation-State Law: The Art of Hypocrisy

By Dissecting Society

Finally, the Israeli Nation-State Bill has been passed in the Knesset. DS supported this law, from inception, and therefore it is with great pleasure that we received the news of it coming into effect last week. Nevertheless, the voices accusing the Jewish State of having passed a Racist law were heard, and even the Israeli Left fell prey to this circus of the absurd.

National Symbols into Law

On an international level, the approval of the new bill caused an uproar with some European Media outlets focusing on "Hebrew being the official language". Apparently, a few people took issue with Israel's national symbols being put into law; but if we are not mistaken the Constitution – or the Basic Law - of every single country dictates its national symbols. For instance:

• France: the Tricolour Flag (Bleu, Blanc et Rouge); La Marseillaise (the national anthem); ‘Liberté, Egalité et Fraternité’ (National motto) and the Great Seal of France (featuring the Goddess of Liberty and the symbols of arts, education, agriculture and architecture). French as the Official Language.
• UK: the Union Flag (featuring 3 crosses); Britannia (National Personification); God Save the Queen (national anthem); ‘Dieu et Mon Droit’ (national motto) and the Coats of Arms (featuring a royally crowned golden lion and a standing on a royal crown). English as the Official Language.
• Portugal: the national Flag; A Portuguesa (national anthem); the Cross of the Order of Christ; the Coat of Arms (featuring the Portuguese Shield [Blue Cross made of the five Quinas and of seven gold castles] and the armillary sphere [symbol of the Portuguese Empire and representative of the Period of Discoveries]. Portuguese as the Official Language.
• Saudi Arabia: the Saudi Flag; Sar’i (national anthem); Arabian Horse (national animal); ‘There is no God but Allah: Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah’ (the Shahada, national Motto); the Coat of Arms (featuring two swords, representing the Kingdoms of Hijaz and Nejd, below a Palm Tree). Arabic as the official Language.
• Egypt: the Egyptian Flag; Biladi Biladi Biladi (national anthem); Golden Eagle (national bird); the Coat of Arms (featuring Saladin’s eagle holding onto a scroll bearing the name of the country). Arabic as the official Language.

The national symbols of these countries are deemed a source of national pride and identity (with a natural level of discrimination). So what is the sin in the Israeli Nationality Law regarding National Symbols? Let’s take a quick look at it:

• Israel: the Name of the State (Israel); the Israeli Flag (white with two blue stripes near the edges and a Blue David Star in the middle); Seven-branched Menorah (State Emblem); Hatikvah (national anthem). Hebrew as the Official Language, with Arabic holding a Special Status.

The Israeli Nation-State Law and Domestic Criticism

On a domestic level, Israel has also been criticised for putting into Law the obvious. For instance:

• The land of Israel is the historical homeland of the Jewish people, in which the State of Israel was established
• The State of Israel is the national home of the Jewish people, in which it fulfils its natural, cultural, religious and historical right to self-determination
• The right to exercise national self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish people.
• The Capital of the Jewish State is Jerusalem (complete and united)
• The State will be open to Jewish Immigration and the ingathering of exiles
• The state will strive to ensure the safety of the members of the Jewish people in trouble or in captivity due to the fact of their Jewishness or their citizenship
• The state views the development of Jewish settlement as a national value and will act to encourage and promote its establishment and consolidation
• The Shabbat and the festivals of Israel are the established days of rest in the state; Non-Jews have a right to maintain days of rest on their Shabbats and festivals; Details of this issue will be determined by law. (Source)

What other country is truly safe for Jews to be Jews? Which other country guarantees the Children of Israel the comfort of being free Jews (without having to assimilate for purposes of social acceptance)? Many of you will evoke the Freedom of Religion engraved in most of the States' Constitutions or Basic Laws, however things sound beautiful on Paper but in practice they are not. Given such characteristics, any Jew is to be grateful for the existence of the ONLY Jewish State on earth.

Message to Shelly Yajimovich and alike

It is easy to criticise the Nationality Law when you are a Jew living free and safely in Israel. It is easy to talk against a Right Wing Government, preparing Israel for the last stages of the Ingathering of Exiles, when you belong to a hypocritical party that pretends to love the Arabs and the Africans when in fact it is the most Racist Political Party in Israel (yes, we are talking about the Labour/Socialist Party):

• You had the policy of removing Yemenite, Iraqi, Moroccan Jewish children from their parents to place them with Ashkenazi Families (deemed by your party the “Superior Jewish Race”) to civilise them
• You had the policy of sterilising the Beta Israeli (Ethiopian Jewish women) without their consent
• You have the policy of calling the Sephardi and Mizrachi Jews “chocolates” (a term concocted to describe the Likud voters by the “Superior Intellectual Jewish crowd” in Tel Aviv)
• You fought the fiercest wars against Arabs and all the accusations made against the Jewish State (which we are not saying to be 100% true although Israeli Leftists do) happened under Socialist Governments
• Your incompetence was so great in 1947, 1967, 1982, 1993-95 and 2006 (for example) that the Jewish State has been fighting for her life since inception. Had your party passed the present version of the Nationality Law in the early stages of the State of Israel's establishment, it would’ve sent a message of strength and not of appeasement (which NEVER works).

So, Ms Shelly, have the courage to be an Eshet Chayil. The same goes for Tzipi Livni: stop embarrassing Jewish women.

A Discriminatory Law? Look In the Mirror

The world should look at itself in the mirror before accusing Israel of racism or discrimination. Let’s take a good look at the performance of certain countries:

Saudi Arabia and Egypt

These two countries accused the Israeli Nationality Law of being discriminatory. We don’t know whether to laugh or to vomit: these are the two of most discriminatory countries on earth (along with the majority of Muslim states):

• Saudi Arabia doesn’t have Jews in her territory. Saudi Arabia doesn’t allow other religions to freely profess their belief system within her borders, while she pushes other countries to build Mosques and import her Imams.
• Egypt no longer has Jews in her territory ever since the Muslim Brotherhood allowed their followers to attack the Egyptian Jewish Community. Egypt hardly keeps her Coptic Christians safe, let alone a Jew.
• These two countries' constitution says they are a Muslim State and that only a Muslim can rule in those states too.

“And raise the green flag
Carrying the written light reflecting guidance,
Repeat: Allahu Akbar!
O my country!
My country,
Live as the pride of Muslims!
Long live the King
For the flag
And the homeland!” – Saudi National Anthem

Certainly this national symbol is discriminatory against non-Muslims…

Portugal

Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva condemned the Israeli Nationality Law saying the most obtuse thing ever: “É uma decisão muito pouco compreensível à luz da própria história de sofrimento do povo judeu e do Estado de Israel” (transl: It is a decision that is very hard to understand given the history of suffering of the Jewish People and of the State of Israel)

Mr Minister Santos Silva, first of all: with all due respect, mind your own business cause you have a lot to deal with as it is – you are constantly being side-lined by a President who doesn’t have the mandate to do YOUR job. Second, worry about Portugal that is being used as a Money Laundering Machine right under your nose by certain "Portuguese citizens" (who don't even know the national anthem) whose citizenship is bought in/through Portuguese Embassies.

The State of Israel doesn’t take lessons from the Portuguese Republic – a country that has contributed so much for the “suffering of the Jewish People” and has not apologised for it yet. Last Sunday, on Tisha B’Av we remembered Portugal and 1493.

France

Almost 10% of this country’s population is Muslim. Does this mean that Arabic will become the Second Official Language in France? Surely, having French as the only Official Language (as per her Constitution) is Racist...

Conclusion

Israel is a sovereign country, so she will decide what is best for her and her people. Israel is willing to work with any State for the good of Mankind; however, the opinion of morally questionable countries and individuals will not be taken into consideration. The hypocritical opinion of countries that have an acceptable discriminatory Constitution/Basic Law (which is a natural consequence of Sovereignty) will be dismissed.

Long live the Jewish State! Long live the House of David! Blessed be the Lord, our G-d, and the G-d of our Forefathers!

(Image: Emblem of the Israeli State[Ed] - Google Images)

[The views expressed in this publication are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Dissecting Society. © 2007-2018 Author(s) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED]