Israeli cabinet approves divisive nationality bill
Israel's Cabinet yesterday approved a contentious bill that officially defines Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people.
The bill still needs to be passed in parliament to become a law, but yesterday's vote looks to further inflame tensions with Arab Israelis and Palestinians. It could also shake up Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government due to the fierce opposition of two of his more centrist partners.
The bill calls for recognizing Israel's Jewish character, institutionalizing Jewish law as an inspiration for legislation, and delisting Arabic as an official language. Opponents say the bill undermines Israel's democratic character, and rights groups have called it racist.
Arabs make up about 20 percent of Israel's population and strongly oppose the bill.
In Gaza, meanwhile, Palestinian health officials said a 32-year-old farmer was shot dead by Israeli troops after he approached the border. Israel's military said it fired warning shots before shooting at two suspects approaching the border, hitting one of them in his lower body. The army said it did not know the man's condition. It would be the first fatality in Gaza since a cease-fire ended last summer's war.
Israel has vowed to respond harshly after a raid on a synagogue last week in which two east Jerusalem Palestinians killed five people with guns and meat cleavers. Israel has already resumed a controversial policy of demolishing the homes of Palestinian attackers.
At the start of his Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for a bill that would revoke residency rights for Palestinians involved in attacks against Israelis.
"It cannot be that those who harm Israel, those who call for the destruction of the state of Israel will enjoy rights like social security," Netanyahu said, adding that the measure would "complement" the house demolitions.
Israel captured east Jerusalem in 1967 and annexed it in a move not recognized internationally. While few of the city's 300,000 Palestinians have taken citizenship, their residency grants them access to social services and freedom of movement.
Tensions spilled over to the West Bank Sunday when a Palestinian family's home was torched in an attack they blamed on Jewish settlers. Israeli police said they were investigating.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu yesterday warned that France's parliament would be making a "grave mistake" if it recognises a Palestinian state in a vote on December 2.
"Recognition of a Palestinian state by France would be a grave mistake," he told reporters in Jerusalem.
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