Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., May 26, 2009 Sivan 3, 5769 | | Israel Time: 01:32 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Focus U.S.A. Travel Week's End Anglo File

Ministers okay bill banning Nakba Day By Tomer Zarchin and Jack Khoury The ministerial committee for legislation yesterday approved a bill that would make it illegal to treat Israel's establishment as a day of mourning, effectively banning Israeli Arabs' commemoration of Nakba Day. The proposal, which was initiated by a member of Yisrael Beiteinu, sparked charges that such a prohibition would infringe on freedom of expression and increase alienation and extremism rather than encouraging cohesiveness. The private member's bill was proposed by MK Alex Miller and calls for a violators. It will be brought before the Knesset for a preliminary reading. The explanatory notes accompanying the bill call for "harsh punishment for those who take advantage of the democratic and enlightened nature of the State of Israel to bring it down from within." Advertisement "I opposed the law because I believe that it could impair freedom of expression and freedom of protest and achieve the opposite goal - increasing alienation and strengthening extremists, who are on the margins of Arab society," said Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog. "The law won over the representatives of Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu because it's easy to support, their reasoning being that we must protect ourselves from these elements. I don't believe in such legislation." Likud minister Michael Eitan also opposes the bill. Miller won cabinet support from Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman, Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar (Likud) and Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov (Yisrael Beiteinu). An identical bill was brought before the Knesset in the last three parliamentary terms, but was never passed. "It's high time for us to be proud of our country," Miller said. Just as it would be inconceivable to hold protests against American Independence Day, he said, Arab citizens should not commemorate Israel's independence with Nakba Day, a term that means "catastrophe" in Arabic. Sikkuy - The Association for the Advancement of Civic Equality in Israel said there was nothing more opposed to Israel's values than prohibiting the marking of national trauma, adding that the bill was "destructive to Jews and Arabs and will prevent reconciliation." Hadash chairman MK Mohammed Barakeh said the fact the cabinet "ratified the delusions and lack of historical and factual knowledge of a single MK shows the stinking sewers to which government discourse has sunk, as is very much to be expected." Barakeh said Arabs would continue to commemorate the Nakba, adding that the commemoration was not meant "to threaten the existence of Israel, but to correct a historic wrong to the Palestinian people." Balad chair MK Jamal Zahalka said there was no international precedent for legislation against sorrow and mourning, calling it "an Israeli invention that reveals bankruptcy." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Double threat 'Israel likely to face simultaneous missile strikes, terror attacks in future war.' Pet Shop Boys in Israel British pop icons are set to play a one-off performance in Tel Aviv in July.

Read & React Israel moves closer to banning mourning of its independence Responses: 66 Canada minister blasts 'dangerous' leftist-Islamist anti-Semitism Responses: 60 Hezbollah could strike Israel to divert Hariri probe Responses: 30 Shas min.: Reform conversions will prompt influx of Palestinians to Israel Responses: 33 More Headlines 22:28 'If Israel doesn't remove Iranian threat, no one will' 22:58 Secret document: Venezuela, Bolivia supplying Iran with uranium 17:20 'Israel will face terror, missiles in future war' 22:21 Iran rejects Western proposal for freezing Nuclear program 23:29 Nasrallah: Israel behind report blaming Hezbollah for Hariri killing 22:20 Israel demands world 'respond decisively' to North Korea nuclear test 17:50 In Israel, Adam Lambert would have won 21:47 Dutch-Jewish poet masks Israeli roots to win Arab prize 20:58 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel 20:29 Muslim nations at Damascus conference: Resistance is not terrorism 13:34 Pet Shop Boys to perform in Israel in July 14:28 Labor ministers to fight bill banning Nakba events 22:12 Netanyahu offers top minister job of point man on Shalit talks 20:29 Abbas: Israel's settlement building will be focus of Obama meet 16:54 Arab League chief: Israeli objections to Russia-Hamas talks 'nonsense' 20:04 Polish court punishes 'Mein Kampf' publisher Previous Editions Select Day 25 may 24 may 22 may 21 may 20 may 19 may 18 may 17 may 15 may 14 may 13 may 12 may

Special Offers Advertisement hotel Jerusalem David Citadel Hotel, come stay at the finest of Jerusalem hotels. ISRAEL ARMY SURPLUS STORE IDF insignia,Uniforms, Paladium Boots Watches, Israel Army T-shirts & Collectibles Dead Sea Skin Care Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off! Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |

| Israel 2009 election results | Makom: Engaging on Israel

| Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved