By Nadav Shragai, Haaretz Correspondent: Knesset okays initial bill to outlaw denial of 'Jewish state'
Talkback
Title: Huge implications for anyone who disagrees with government Name: Rod City: Melbourne State: Australia
"call to negate Israel`s existence as a Jewish and democratic state" ? What does this mean? Does it mean that anyone who says publicly that Israel should be a secular state faces a jail term? Does it mean that anyone who says publicly that Israel is less democratic than it once was faces jail? Might it end up being interpreted as meaning that anyone who publicly pursues Christianity or Islam, or atheism or even agnosticism faces jail under a potential future government of Orthodox persuasion? "causing... distain..."??? "Distain" is hardly a violent activity! I`m sure most people feel "distain" for some of the actions taken by their governments in their country`s name from time to time. I see such "distain" expressed in these columns every day , from all sides. THis legislation has potentially huge implications for any Israelis, regardless of ethnicity, who like to think and speak for themselves.