Soul of this country

I won’t deny that there are undoubtedly a small number of legislators – from both the coalition and opposition – who quietly and under the radar embrace Basic Law: Nation-State as a way to legally discriminate against Israel’s Arab population (“Ministers to debate Zionism’s influence on gov’t decisions,” May 29).

The concerns expressed by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel are therefore not entirely unfounded, but the group has not provided a justifiable argument against the law. Israel was created as a Jewish state, and while there may be some ambiguity as to what that means exactly, there should be absolutely no disagreement over the official day of rest, the holidays that are observed and celebrated, and the recognitions that the Jews who emigrated to Israel over the last seventy-five years have brought to this land a diverse and varied collection of traditions that have one thing in common: they all reflect Judaism in one way or another.

Those who would encourage apartheid policies and chant “Death to the Arabs” do not reflect the soul of this country, and certainly not mine.

Yet the government is willing to accept the haredi demand that Zionism not be identified as a national characteristic. The haredim are not being forced by law to stand in honor of those who gave their lives for this country or recognize the very special meaning of Israel Independence Day, and yet they dare infringe upon those who do.

And while I certainly respect the importance of yeshivas and the ongoing learning that goes on there, I am well aware that advanced learning and national service are by no means mutually exclusive. There is ample room for both.

So, please leave the Basic Law: Nation-State untouched. It is applicable to all Jews living in Israel, including the haredim. Their next demand, you know, would be to return to the table the infamous 1975 UN declaration equating Zionism with racism. Even Israel’s Arabs would never go so far.