Israeli Arab MP resigns over new statehood law

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An Israeli Arab MP resigned on Saturday from the parliament, citing a controversial new law on Israeli statehood that Arab lawmakers have called racist.

The new legislation speaks of Israel as the historic homeland of the Jews and says they have a "unique" right to self-determination there.

It also revokes the longstanding status of Arabic as an official language alongside Hebrew.

Zouheir Bahloul, of the opposition Zionist Union party, said he could not face telling his grandson that he remained part of the same chamber which passed the law.

"I am resigning from the Knesset," he said in Hebrew on Reshet TV. "The nation state law officially, constitutionally, removes the Arab population from the path of equality in Israel."

"I faithfully promise that I shall not go back," Bahloul added, arguing that remaining would “give legitimacy to this destructive, racist, extremist parliament."

Bahloul said that his resignation would officially take effect when parliament returns from its summer recess in September.

After the law was approved earlier this month, Arab members of parliament branded the legislation "racist" and ripped up copies of the bill in the Knesset chamber. Arab citizens make up some 17.5 percent of Israel's more than eight million population.

The law makes no mention of equality and Israel's democratic character, implying the country's Jewish identity takes precedence.

Leaders of Israel's 130,000-strong Druze Arab community, which unlike Muslims and Christians is subject to the military draft, have filed a challenge to the law with the country's Supreme Court.

(Top picture: Zouheir Bahloul speaks during an election campaign press conference in the northern Israeli-Arab town of Shfaram, February 28, 2015. /VCG Photo)

Source(s): AFP