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Last update - 14:12 15/10/2007
Draft constitution ignores crucial question of who is a Jew
By Shahar Ilan, Haaretz Correspondent

The draft constitution being prepared by the Knesset Constitution Committee will not include the Law of Return, in order to forestall an argument over the "who is a Jew" issue. Instead, it will include a general statement that "every Jew is entitled to immigrate to Israel."

However, the committee plans to submit a revised version of the Law of Return to the Knesset along with the proposed constitution. The proposed revision would replace the "grandchild clause," which entitles all grandchildren of Jews to immigrate, with a clause entitling anyone who belongs to a Jewish community to immigrate.

Thus far, the proposed preamble to the constitution does not include any mention of equality, since there is a major argument between religious and secular parties over the right to equality.
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Another matter that is being hotly debated is the definition of the state's character. Most committee members want to define Israel as a "Jewish state," but rightist MKs are demanding that it be defined as the "state of the Jewish nation." They also want to split Israel's current definition as a "Jewish and democratic state" into two separate articles, one dealing with its Jewish character and one with its democratic character.

Committee Chairman Menachem Ben-Sasson has proposed that the state's symbol, the menorah, include the name "Israel" in both Hebrew and Arabic. Currently, the name only appears in Hebrew.

No votes have yet been taken on the preamble, nor are any expected in the next few months.

To see the draft of the preamble to Israel's constitution, click here.

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      1.   FORGET CONSTITUTION. TAKE THE TORAH,MAIMONIDES & LAWS OF REBBE KI 06:34  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 15/10/07
      2.   How will this work? 06:50  |  Sam 15/10/07
      3.   My 20 Agorot Worth 07:21  |  Eli Wapniarski 15/10/07
      4.   Menora in ARABIC? - Prove who Marocains are... 07:31  |  Alex 15/10/07
      5.   1 - that`s all we need: rabbis leading the country 07:37  |  matt 15/10/07
      6.   Re#1 08:01  |  JB 15/10/07
      7.   Jewish and democractic 08:07  |  mg 15/10/07
      8.   write arabic on the menorah? the jewish symbol? 08:53  |  Joey 15/10/07
      9.   to #1 09:01  |  Dave 15/10/07
      10.   Wrong focus for constitution 09:49  |  Joe Sittizen 15/10/07
      11.   Constiution 10:47  |  Max Resnik 15/10/07
      12.   to #6 11:12  |  Moi 15/10/07
      13.   Wrong question 11:27  |  Hannah 15/10/07
      14.   constitution 11:52  |  j10 15/10/07
      15.   Who is a Jew ? 11:53  |  Levi 15/10/07
      16.   WHAT IS GOING TO BE NEXT, AN ARAB IS GOING TO BE A PM OF ISRAEL? 12:25  |  ILSupporter 15/10/07
      17.   Non-Jewish Israeli kids abroad receive draft papers too 12:25  |  Sara 15/10/07
      18.   Jewish and Democratic 12:53  |  Colin 15/10/07
      19.   THE NAZI`S NEW WHO IS JEWISH 13:17  |  Kooky Dennt 15/10/07
      20.   #18, Colin 13:24  |  Hannah 15/10/07
      21.   #17, Sara (and one that you zionists should answer!) 13:27  |  Hannah 15/10/07
      22.   Unless there`s a clause giving equality for Reform/Conservative 13:32  |  David Teich 15/10/07
      23.   #16 ILSupporter 13:52  |  Boycott 15/10/07
      24.   To Sarah #17 - You`re Right, They Should not Receive Draft Papers 14:12  |  Mike 15/10/07
      25.   More equality must be given to our Arab Israeli citizens 14:12  |  Haim 15/10/07
      26.   MASS CONVERTION OF PALS TO JUDAISM TO GUARANTEE RETURN TO LAND! 14:16  |  TrippleJump 15/10/07
      27.   THE WORD MINORAH IS FROM ARABIC, MEANING LIGHT ! 14:18  |  Kokonot 15/10/07
      28.   #21 - OR... 14:56  |  Global Citizen 15/10/07
      29.   LEVANTIA??? 15:00  |  ROB OF MELBOURNE 15/10/07
      30.   #27, Kokonot 15:16  |  Hannah 15/10/07
      31.   Jewish State = Racist State 15:20  |  POP 15/10/07
      32.   #28, Global citizen 15:23  |  Hannah 15/10/07
      33.   Israel needs a constitution...to be a normal western country 15:54  |  Western Guy 15/10/07
      34.   12 Million Jews Chose to live Outside of Israel 15:59  |  Fed Up 15/10/07
      35.   First they need to define "Israel" 16:48  |  Hard Talk 15/10/07
      36.   #23 BOYCOTT 16:55  |  ILSupporter 15/10/07
      37.   For #17 Non-Jewish Israeli kids abroad receive draft papers too 17:14  |  Israeli 15/10/07
      38.   who is a JEW 17:22  |  Shmuelshachor 15/10/07
      39.   #38, Shmuel Shachor 17:38  |  Hannah 15/10/07
      40.   To Sara from Holland 17 17:38  |  Rina 15/10/07
      41.   Jewish values 18:01  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 15/10/07
      42.   Tripple Jump 18:06  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 15/10/07
      43.   who is a Jew ? we have already the answer 18:09  |  Daniel 15/10/07
      44.   #27 - Kokonot 18:12  |  MichaelF 15/10/07
      45.   Rina 18:13  |  millie 15/10/07
      46.   #31 - POP 18:17  |  MichaelF 15/10/07
      47.   Sam of Canada @#2 18:20  |  akiva (zionist) 15/10/07
      48.   #46 - You don`t understand the word racist 18:40  |  Fed Up 15/10/07
      49.   #47, Aaaakkkkiiiivvvvaaa 18:45  |  Hannah 15/10/07
      50.   Change the Law and Israel Abandons the Diaspora, 1 18:50  |  David Turner 15/10/07
      51.   Change the Law and Israel Abandons the Diaspora, 2 18:51  |  David Turner 15/10/07
      52.   some very good points 19:07  |  michael 15/10/07
      53.   #46 MichaelF`r 19:10  |  POP 15/10/07
      54.   To Millie 45 19:38  |  Rina 15/10/07
      55.   No brainer! 19:41  |  Webster 15/10/07
      56.   #41 Margie/tex/iKetin the deceiver and false prophet 19:56  |  Labhras 15/10/07
      57.   Rina 20:00  |  millie 15/10/07
      58.   akiva re Crazy Hannah 20:14  |  Hannah 15/10/07
      59.   Labrhas 20:44  |  Danite 15/10/07
      60.   Millie No. 57 21:02  |  Rina 15/10/07
      61.   Labhras Buy a goldfish if you have no friends 21:04  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 15/10/07
      62.   To #37 Israeli from London, who needs extra info!! 21:28  |  Sara 15/10/07
      63.   Rina 21:36  |  Sara 15/10/07
      64.   #61 Margie who still has not condemned 21:44  |  Labhras 15/10/07
      65.   michael @#52 21:51  |  akiva (zionist) 15/10/07
      66.   if your mums jewish then so are you.end of story 21:53  |  s 15/10/07
      67.   Preamble 22:19  |  Stuart 15/10/07
      68.   Akiva (Zionist) 22:47  |  Boris S. 15/10/07
      69.   This bunch is the last bunch you want writing a constitution 23:10  |  Shiloh 15/10/07
      70.   Is Bob Dylan still a Jew if he is now Christian ? 23:30  |  Petteri 15/10/07
      71.   #68 Petteri: Dylan was not a Jew 01:17  |  getitright 16/10/07
      72.   Petteri: forgot - Dylan is a Moslem; his name is Islam 01:42  |  getitright 16/10/07
      73.   re: Sam 02:33  |  Efox 16/10/07
      74.   re: POP 02:34  |  Efox 16/10/07
      75.   re: Kokonot 02:36  |  Efox 16/10/07
      76.   re: Petteri 02:41  |  Efox 16/10/07
      77.   re: Joey 02:43  |  Efox 16/10/07
      78.   re: Sara 02:45  |  Efox 16/10/07
      79.   re: Boycott 02:47  |  Efox 16/10/07
      80.   re: Fed Up 02:48  |  Efox 16/10/07
      81.   Laughing out loud 03:20  |  Colin Wright 16/10/07
      82.   I wish I could - 04:17  |  Mark Lincoln