The character is sustained

Knesset adopted a law on the Jewish character of the state of Israel. It is reported by Ynet.

The law states: "Israel is the historical homeland of the Jewish people, and the right to self -determination in this country belongs exclusively to him."

The same document establishes Hebrew status as the only official language of Israel. Arabic, all 70 years of the state of the state is also the official language, this status is deprived of, although its use in state institutions is still allowed.

The bill, actively supported by Benjamin Netanyahu's right cabinet, provoked fierce disputes in the Knesset. Arab deputies called him racist. During the discussions, the initial edition of the document was softened.

Nevertheless, the final edition of the law was only a slight advantage - it was supported by 62 deputies out of 120 at 55 voted against.

After the vote, the Arab deputies arranged a protest, starting to shout that the apartheid is now legalized in the country and scatter the papers. Speaker Joel Edelstein removed the protesters from the audience.

Prime Minister Netanyahu, speaking in the Knesset after voting, warmly welcomed the adoption of the law. “122 years after (the founder of Zionism Theodore) Herzl published his project (the book“ Jewish State ”, 1896. - Ed.), Israel legally recorded the basic principles of its existence,” the prime minister noted. “In the past few years, attempts have been attempted to dispute them, thereby putting the existence of our state in question. This is why we recorded them in the law.”

Netanyahu indicated that Israel is the only country in the Middle East, in which the principle of equal rights of citizens is really realized. However, he noted the prime minister earlier, during the discussion of the document, "the majority also has the right and to the majority decide." “The absolute majority wants to guarantee the Jewish character of our state for future generations,” he emphasized.