In response.

Submitted by Anon. (Israel), Mar 1, 2014 at 15:11

Thanks for your response.

If Israel had had a constitution set up at its founding, formalising that Israel is a Jewish state, it would've made sense. Formalising its status now in the form of a law does (to my mind, and I believe in Israel's enemies' minds - even if it strikes you as irrational) reek of weakness; it suggests that Israel fears its status as a Jewish state is in threat or in doubt and somehow believing that a law would fix things. It couldn't possibly deter Israel's enemies and would even encourage them to pounce.

Worse, making such a law now (rather than at Israel's founding) would suggest that Israel is trying to change its status and is suddenly, only now truly being "a Jewish state", encouraging others to argue that up until now Israel "hasn't been a Jewish state", making it harder, not easier, to require that the Palestinians recognize that Israel is the state of the Jews.

Of course it's wonderful that various Arab countries define themselves as Arab (and Muslim) since it demolishes their claim that "Israel can't define itself as Jewish since that is either racist or promotes religious supremacy" (of course they've tried making both claims).

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