MKs get tough with racist policy for nightclub admission

The Knesset yesterday approved the preliminary reading of an amendment strengthening the anti-discrimination law regarding nightclub admissions.

The bill is meant to close a loophole nightclubs use in order not to admit darker skinned patrons.

All of the 47 Knesset members present voted in favor of the measure, which had the support of the coalition.

The bill was initiated by MKs Shelly Yachimovich (Labor) and Shlomo Molla (Kadima), who immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia in 1984.

The two MKs said the amendment was necessary because some nightclubs have found creative ways to circumvent discrimination laws - bouncers delay certain patrons from entering, on the pretext of checking whether they are allowed in. In the meantime, lighter skinned patrons allegedly are allowed to enter unimpeded .

The amendment, drafted by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, states that clubs that fail to admit patrons based on the order in which they arrive will be considered guilty of discrimination unless they can prove there are other reasons for their conduct.

After the preliminary reading passed, MK Molla said, "The Knesset today said 'No to racism.' From inquiries from the public we know that this [discrimination] is part of the painful routine of new immigrants, Jews of Middle Eastern descent, Arabs and others. The Knesset proved today that racism is unacceptable and that the difficult situation facing various sectors of the population in Israel is a subject that crosses party lines."