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Israel

Israeli cabinet passes controversial nation-state bill

New version of law - yet to be passed by the Knesset - downgrades Arabic

May 7, 2017 12:28
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1 min read

Israel’s controversial “nation-state bill” has been passed by a cabinet committee.

The bill, which will now proceed to the Knesset for further readings before becoming law, declares that Israel is “the national home of the Jewish people,” and that “the right to realise self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish people.”

It also ends the status of Arabic as an “official language”.

The bill states that “the national language is Hebrew” and downgrades Arabic to "a special status in the state," adding that "its speakers have the right to language-accessible state services.”