Israel Passes Controversial Jewish Nation-state Bill After Stormy Debate
Israel Passes Controversial Jewish Nation-state Bill After Stormy Debate
Israel passed early Thursday a controversial bill that officially defines Israel as the national homeland of the Jewish people and asserts that "the realization of the right to national self-determination in Israel is unique to the Jewish people," sparking outrage from Israel's Arab community and provoking concern from the international community.
62 lawmakers in Israel's Knesset voted in favor of the legislation and 55 opposed it. Two lawmakers, Benny Begin (Likud) and Orly Levy-Abekasis (independent) abstained.
The nation-state law also includes clauses stating that a "united Jerusalem" is the capital of Israel and that Hebrew is the country's official language. Another says that "the state sees the development of Jewish settlement as a national value and will act to encourage and promote its establishment and consolidation."