Jewish state

The term "Jewish state" is sometimes used to describe the State of Israel and refers to its status as a nation-state for the Jewish people. This concept of an ethnic Jewish homeland is enshrined in Israeli national policy and reflected in many of Israel's public institutions. The concept was codified in the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel on 14 May 1948 as well as in the Law of Return, which was passed by the Knesset on 5 July 1950, and stated "Every Jew has the right to come to this country as an oleh," an "oleh" being an immigrant Jew http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Immigration/Text_of_Law_of_Return.html. This is intended to make citizenship easier to acquire for Jews.

Criticism

The idea of Israel being a Jewish State has drawn much controversy because of the large number of Muslim and Christian Palestinians residing in Israel and in the West Bank and Gaza. For example, the Israeli National Anthem, the Hatikvah, refers to Jews by name as well as alluding to the concept of Zionism, and it contains no mention of Palestinian culture. This anthem excludes the Palestinians from a national identity. Similar criticism has been made of the Israeli flag which resembles the Tallit (a Jewish prayer shawl) and features a Star of David, generally acknowledged as a symbol of Judaism. Both of these symbols derive from the Zionist struggle to create a nation-state, a struggle in which the Arabs figure as defeated opponents, not as active participants.

Related Topics:
Muslim - Christian - Palestinians - West Bank - Gaza - National Anthem - Hatikvah - Zionism - Culture - Israeli flag - Tallit - Star of David - Judaism

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It has been suggested by supporters of Israeli multinationalism that the State of Israel adopt more inclusive and neutral symbolism. The concept of the Jewish state has been called "racist" and "ethnocentric" by critics, both internationally and inside Israel signified by the UN General Assembly Resolution 3379 linking Zionism to racism (later revoked by UN General Assembly Resolution 4686) but brought up again by the new Durban Declaration. Some critics assert that the idea of an ethnic state is itself racist and the ethnicity in question (or its history) does not matter. This view has been expounded by Noam Chomsky, himself of Jewish ancestry and upbringing, in an interview on C-SPAN where he said:

Related Topics:
Multinationalism - Racist - Ethnocentric - UN General Assembly Resolution 3379 - UN General Assembly Resolution 4686 - Durban Declaration - Noam Chomsky - C-SPAN

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:"I have always supported a Jewish ethnic homeland in Palestine. That is different from a Jewish state. There's a strong case to be made for an ethnic homeland, but as to whether there should be a Jewish state, or a Muslim state, or a Christian state, or a white state — that's entirely another matter."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Opponents of this view counter that the Jewish people constitute a nation who deserve their own state, and singling Israel out is Anti-Semitichttp://www.adl.org/durban/draft.asp, while offering examples of other ethnic states, and pointing out that the very idea is enshrined in the concept of the nation-state. Religious opponents to this view base their assertion on the Torah's promises of Israel to the Jews, and Jewish nationalists base this assertion on the Balfour Declaration, historical ties to the land, and security needs of the Jewish people in regards to a hostile Arab world who in many cases, might commit genocide against a Jewish minority if Israel ever became "a state for all its citizens." Others add that a Jewish state in their historical homeland is fair compensation for centuries of persecution by non-Jews, and counter that their detractors are themselves Eurocentric, and should not tell other nations how to run their affairs.

Related Topics:
Anti-Semitic - Torah - Balfour Declaration - Genocide - Eurocentric

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~