Netanyahu pushes law to make Israel the Jewish nation-state

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to promote new legislation that will protect Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people.

Speaking at the Independence Hall in Tel Aviv, Mr Netanyahu said: “It is my intention to submit a Basic Law to the Knesset that would provide a constitutional anchor for Israel’s status as the national state of the Jewish people.”

But figures within Mr Netanyahu’s coalition have vowed to oppose such a move.

Isaac Herzog said that even though “the Labour party vehemently supports Israel as a Jewish and democratic state … no law can conceal” the prime minister’s policies which “will cause the loss of the Jewish majority and turn Israel to a bi-national state”.