NBC News

Israel ‘Nation-State' Law Prompts Criticism Around the World

The American Jewish Committee said the law "put at risk the commitment of Israel's founders to build a country that is both Jewish and democratic"

Israel’s “nation-state” law that was celebrated as a “defining moment” for the country by its supporters has prompted forceful protests inside the country and around the world, NBC News reported.

The law that narrowly passed early Thursday declaring only Jews have the right of self-determination was backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government.

It was enacted just after the 70th anniversary of the birth of the state of Israel and, among other things, strips Arabic of its designation as an official language alongside Hebrew.

Netanyahu said the law was "a defining moment in the annals of Zionism and the history of the state of Israel." But the American Jewish Committee, one of the oldest and most prominent Jewish advocacy groups, said it was "deeply disappointed" by the law, and added it "put at risk the commitment of Israel's founders to build a country that is both Jewish and democratic."

Contact Us