The Right's Assault on Liberty in Israel

Carlo Strenger on a very illiberal Knesset:

Dichter has proposed a Basic Law that would define Israel as the Nation State of the Jewish People. Veteran political scientist and former head of the foreign ministry Shlomo Avineri has strongly criticized this law. Among others he has pointed out that Paragraph 7 of the proposed law is basically empty, as it has no concrete content. It states: "The state will act to strengthen the bond between Israel and the Jews of the Diaspora".

This law will lead to the precise of opposite of its intentions. Not only will passing this law not do anything to strengthen the bond between Israel and the Jews of the Diaspora; it is likely to further alienate most Diaspora Jews, who already feel that the present government has pushed Israel beyond the brink of what is acceptable for them.