The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard a case against a controversial law that defines the country as a Jewish national state, marking the beginning of a special challenge against legislation that opponents say is half-hearted. birth against ethnic minorities.
Critics say State Law of Nations gives more status to Israel’s Arab minority, which makes up about 20% of the country’s population. Proponents argue that the legislation only incorporated Israel’s Jewish character into law.
The judging panel hears 15 petitions filed by various agencies
(Photo: GPO )
The 15 petitions filed by Arab rights groups and other civil society organizations are seeking the country’s Supreme Court to overturn the law. The petitions are a major challenge to the 2018 law and are being heard by a panel of 11 judges, the largest possible settlement in court.
“This is the first time in Israel’s legal history that the Supreme Court has to address the legal status of the Palestinian minority in Israel,” said Hassan Jabareen, founder of Adalah, an Arab minority language rights group petitioning the court, ahead of the hearing.
The law was passed by the Knesset in July 2018. It describes Israel as the “national state of the Jewish people” and states that it “fulfills the right to national autonomy in the state of Israel unparalleled to the -Jews. He also defined Arabic from an official state language to one with ‘special status.’
The judging panel hears 15 petitions filed by various agencies
(Photo: GPO)
The passage of the law provoked a vocal challenge from the country’s Arab minority, especially among Israeli Druze, who serve in the army and saw themselves as second-class citizens.
As judges heard arguments against the law from petitioners, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on Facebook that the Supreme Court has no authority to debate the validity of fundamental laws, “adding that the court does not” absolute governor ”and called for legislation to limit legal authority.