Just imagine that a far right politician -- whose party was a member of the ruling coalition -- had suggested that all MPs should swear allegiance to the Christian state. There would be a huge geshrei of antisemitism and Israel would likely return its ambassador from that state.
What then to make of the Knesset ministerial legislative committee which was set to vote Sunday on a bill requiring MKs to take a "loyalty oath" to the Jewish state before taking office.
The bill, proposed by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beitenu Party, suggests changing the wording of the current oath taken by MKs so that instead of swearing loyalty to "the State of Israel and its laws," MKs will be required to vow loyalty to the State of Israel as a "Jewish democratic state."
The bill was submitted by MK David Rotem, who is currently serving as the chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee. He cited participation by Israeli Arab MKs in a pro-Palestinian protest at the Gaza border as the motivation for the bill.
The bill aims to require Israeli Arab MKs, who are not Jewish, to pledge loyalty to the Jewish character of the State of Israel, which by definition marginalizes them as non-Jews.
"The bill, on the Knesset's agenda," Rotem continued, "seeks to ensure that MKs are loyal to Israel as a Jewish state. Anyone who doesn't want to be loyal will kindly refrain from being an MK."
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