Identity politics rule in Israeli bill

There has rarely been a more propitious moment for hardline Zionists to press an uncompromising agenda. Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government faces little opposition. In taking maximalist positions, it has the full support of a nationalist populist president in the White House.

Meanwhile, the Israeli prime minister’s brand of muscular identity politics hardly stands out at a time of resurgent nationalism across Europe and other parts of the world. He even enjoys tacit support from Arab neighbours, at least regarding containing Iran’s influence in the Middle East. Last week’s changes to the basic laws that govern Israel — in the absence of a constitution — can be seen in this context.

The new laws have the effect of privileging Jewish identity over democratic values, thereby eroding one of the principles on which the Israeli state was founded. Jews will enjoy exclusive rights to national self-determination within Israel’s borders. Arabic will be downgraded from its status as an official language. The settlements, which have already eaten far into what might once have been a viable Palestinian state, are not only encouraged by law. In further legislative changes that support an expansion of the construction programme, Palestinian access to the supreme court will be cut off in the case of land disputes.

Having passed these changes, eight years since they were mooted, legislators in the Knesset offer a preview of what a single state shared between Israel and the Palestinians might look like. From the Arab standpoint it looks decidedly bleak.

Unsurprisingly, representatives of the 1.8-million Arabs living in Israel are outraged. So too are Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank. The bill, passed by the slimmest of majorities, may remain partly symbolic and will face legal challenges. It nevertheless signals a tilt in a dangerous direction, potentially legitimising discrimination against the Arab population in Israel. London, July 24