Headlines around the world are up in arms about the chutzpah of Israel planning a law declaring it to be a (the) Jewish State.
Right now I will admit I have not seen the law; not in Hebrew and not in translation.
Despite all the agony and gnashing of the teeth, I suspect most of the people commenting on the proposed law also have not read the law - in Hebrew or in translation.
But consider this: Israel was created as a "homeland for the Jewish people" and ratified as such by UN member states, even officially Christian ones. It was mostly Jews who died defending Israel.
The Arab people have - how many Muslim-controlled states? And these are most assuredly Muslim countries; if your not a Muslim you might not be allowed in (unless you are a soldier defending the Muslim country from other Muslim countries).
The Christian people have their countries. How many nations identify themselves as officially "Christian?" The United States is "Christian-dominated," but not a "Christian by law" country - for which I thank HaShem. Unlike some Muslim-controlled countries, non-Christians are allowed to have citizenship in (most) officially Christian countries; albeit some have limited rights.
What about North Korea; it's atheist and you best not bring any religious material into that land. Saudi Arabia is Muslim; bring a Bible into Saudia and you will be punished - severely. Jordan is a Muslim country and you may not display any signs of Jewishness on pain of punishment.
So I ask: "What's the big deal about Israel being a Jewish state?"
Is the bill DENYING rights to any non-Jewish Israelis? Does the bill prohibit non-Jews from running for, and being elected to, public office? Does the bill preclude non-Jews from judgeships, even on the highest court? Will non-Jews under the bill be kept out of the military (a situation that often prevents upward mobility in post- service jobs)?
Will Egged, the bus company, allow only Jews to ride the buses? Will it have special sections for Jews and other sections for non-Jews?
Will highway signs suddenly stop showing Arabic and English and become, as they are in PA-land one-language only (Arabic, obviously)? I understand Arabic no longer is an "official" language; English never was an official Israeli language, nor is French, although it appears (appeared:) on Israeli passports.
As long as the PA-land issue was opened, will the law be like the PA laws that prohibit non-Arabs from living in the state? Jews are not allowed to live in PA-controlled areas, and Christians are finding life increasingly difficult in Muslim-dominated areas (e.g., Bethlehem) where they have long been a presence.
Will the law toe the Torah line? Given that many haredim are against it, I suspect it will not. (What do they care anyway; many of them would prefer to be back under Jordanian rule.)
As I wrote early on, I have not seen the law and I suspect that those railing against it also have not read the law. It's a political football that was introduced at an inopportune time. Israel has enough problems on its political plate without adding another.
It MAY be a good law - that is if anyone takes the time to read it. It may not be a good law. If it deprives any ISRAELI of rights he or she now enjoys, then it is a bad law. I am not concerned with non-Israelis who come into the country to work for a day or a year other than to assure they are treated fairly and with the respect they show Israelis.
I would NOT want schools in Arab communities to stop teaching Arabic; they should teach Arabic AND Hebrew, just as schools in Jewish communities should teach Hebrew AND Arabic - if we cannot communicate, how can we have peaceful coexistence? The current situation suggests that without communication, things will remain as they are: dangerous for all concerned.
Let me be 100 percent clear: When I wrote "Israeli," I mean all Israelis: Jews and non-Jews alike.
Maybe someone ought to take the time to read the law, preferably in Hebrew, but a translated version is "better than nothing."
