Netanyahu Backs 'Home Bill' Despite Opposition
JERUSALEM, Israel -- In what appears to be efforts to avoid a coalition crisis, a vote on the Jewish home bill, originally slated for Wednesday, has been postponed for a week.
On Sunday, Israeli cabinet ministers passed the "Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People" bill by a 15-6 margin.
Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Finance Minister Yair Lapid voted against the bill, along with several members of Lapid's party. Both ministers have been very vocal about their opposition to the legislation on Israeli television, radio, websites, and their respective social media outlets.
The bill, which has gone through several iterations, defines Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people while maintaining equality under the law for all its citizens. All three versions of the bill include "Hatikva" as the national anthem, the use of the Hebrew calendar, the Law of Return, and other national symbols.
"Israel is a Jewish democratic state," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained earlier this week. "There are those who want democracy to take precedence over Judaism and those who want Judaism to take precedence over democracy. In the law that I am proposing, both principles are equal and must be given equal consideration."
Netanyahu said some "national rights" apply specifically to the Jewish people.
"There are national rights only for the Jewish people: a flag, anthem, the right of every Jew to immigrate to Israel and other national symbols," he said.
Despite opposition by his coalition partners, Netanyahu said he will see the bill through.
"Israel has always been a Jewish state, but all citizens have equal rights under the law regardless of race, gender. or religion. However, only the Jewish people have national rights in Israel and that needs to be anchored in law," he said, adding that he'll "make sure this bill passes."
But despite majority backing for the bill, Livni and Lapid claim it undermines Israel's democracy. Both ministers threatened to vote against the measure even if it means leaving the government.
Opposition leader and Labor Party chairman Yitzhak Herzog repeated his frequent call to Livni and Lapid to leave the government.
Meanwhile, those who support the bill are also making their voices heard.
Economy and Trade Minister Naftali Bennett spoke out against State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke's remark admonishing Israel to align itself with the U.S. views.
Rathke told reporters in Washington Monday the United States "would expect any final legislation to continue Israel's commitment to democratic principles."
"The United States position, which is unchanged, has been clear for years and the president and the secretary have also reiterated it that Israel is a Jewish and democratic state in which all citizens should enjoy equal rights. We expect Israel to stick to its democratic principles."
Bennett responded in a radio interview Tuesday.
"I say to the Americans, we will manage the affairs of the State of Israel. In the end, this is our problem, an internal problem, and I don't think anyone has the right to wade into it," Bennett told Israel Radio.
Meanwhile, a source close to Netanyahu told the Times of Israel Monday that while Netanyahu would rather not go to elections at this time, he is not afraid of them. Polls show Netanyahu enjoys wide support among Israelis.
"Netanyahu is tired of his partners trying to control him," one staffer told Israel Radio. "The government can only work if the partners stop trying to bring it down on a regular basis."
