Supreme Court rejects citizens’ bid to have nationality declared as Israeli rather than Jewish
Veteran left-wing activist Uri Avnery, 89, labelled the judges ruling 'cowardly'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Israel’s Supreme Court has rejected an effort by a group of citizens to redefine the very basis of their country’s political identity by having their nationality declared to be Israeli rather than Jewish.
A panel of three judges ruled earlier this week that definition of nationality was not a matter for the court to decide and that it had not been proven that there is in fact an Israeli nationality.
They dismissed the petitioners’ arguments that a new Israeli nationality – of which Arabs and Jews alike are members – had come into being in May 1948 with Israel’s declaration of independence, a document that promises equality irrespective of religion, race or gender. “For purposes of changing the nationality registration, there is no importance to the subjective feelings and views of whoever is requesting the change, but rather to the prescriptions of the law and the accepted categories of nationality,” wrote Justice Hanan Melzer.
The decision is seen as upholding the country’s long-standing ethos of Jewish nationalism that critics say gives salience to the Jewish majority over the Arab minority. The government says there is no contradiction between the state’s Jewish nationalist and democratic components.
The petitioners were led by 90- year-old Uzi Ornan, a veteran of the Irgun underground that fought British rule in the run up to Israel’s independence and a long-standing advocate of separating religion from state. Uri Avnery, an 89-year old veteran left-wing activist who was also one of the petitioners, labelled the judges’ ruling “cowardly”.
Mr Avnery said one of their goals was to overturn the idea that Israel belongs to Jewish people all over the world. “We are trying to make Israel a country like any other country, not the state of the Jewish people all over the world.“
But Noam Arnon, a leader of the ultra-nationalist Jewish settler community, said: “I feel sorry for these people who are trying to run away from their identity, inheritance and roots.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments