Tibi: Israel is democratic for Jews but Jewish for Arabs

MKs respond to decision on loyalty oath; Livni: "This is politics at its worst;" MK Ben-Ari: "Likud has admitted that Kahane was right."

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Tibi making a point in Knesset 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Tibi making a point in Knesset 311
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
MKs from both sides of the political spectrum responded on Sunday to the cabinet's approval of changes to the Citizenship Law requiring a loyalty oath of new citizens.
MK Ahmed Tibi accused the government of having "turned into the stooge of Israel Beiteinu and its fascist doctrine."
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"There is no country in the world that forces its citizens or those naturalizing to swear their loyalty to ideology or a sectarian obligation," the UAL-Ta'al MK continued. "Israel is proving that it is not egalitarian and is in fact democratic for Jews and Jewish for Arabs."
Opposition Head Tzipi Livni (Kadima) said that the idea of a loyalty oath "is politics at its worst."
"The delicate and important topic of a Jewish and democratic state has turned into commercialized politics, and it is totally unnecessary," Livni said. "The central thing we need to protect is Israel's existence as Jewish and equal for all of its citizens."
"This law does not contribute anything - the opposite is true. It will cause internal conflicts. This is a bad proposed law that does not protect Israel as the Jewish national home, and even harms it," Livni said.
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In contrast, MK Michael Ben-Ari (National Union) said that "20 years after Rabbi Kahane's murder, the Likud has admitted that Rabbi Kahane was right."
"It's refreshing to hear the Likud government, that haunted Rabbi Kahane, wants the Arabs to sign a loyalty oath," Ben-Ari said in his statement. "It was admitted today that what Rabbi Kahane state 20 years ago was correct and proper."
The measure passed with a vote of 22-8.