Ire as PM backs new citizens' oath to Jewish state
JERUSALEM: Caving in to pressure from far right members of his coalition, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has backed a new law requiring prospective citizens of Israel to swear an oath of allegiance to a ''Jewish, democratic'' state.
The amended citizenship law, likely to be ratified by parliament on Sunday, is targeted at non-Jews, particularly Palestinians marrying Israeli citizens.
Because all Jews have a guaranteed right to Israeli citizenship, Jews emigrating to Israel will not be required to swear the new oath of allegiance.
Advertisement: Story continues below ''Israel is the Jewish people's homeland,'' Mr Netanyahu said. ''It is so in its essence, in its government, its symbols, holidays and language, and that should be reflected by its Citizenship Act.''
Anyone who refuses to pledge allegiance to a Jewish state will be ineligible for citizenship.
With a non-Jewish population of more than 20 per cent, including about a million Israeli Palestinians, the law has provoked accusations of racism and bigotry from a wide array of critics, who say it discriminates against non-Jews.
Israeli's Minority Affairs Minister, Avishay Braverman, who is a member of the left-of-centre Labour Party, slammed the amendment.
all above (and more to read) from -
www.smh.com.au/world/ire-as-pm-backs-new...-20101007-169ue.html
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