Oct. 7: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will push for legislation to require those who want to become Israeli citizens to pledge loyalty to the “nation-state of the Jewish people,” an Israeli official said on Wednesday.
Under Israeli law, Jews who immigrate to Israel are granted automatic citizenship, and non-Jews have to take a loyalty oath to the “state of Israel.” The proposed change would win favour with one of Mr Netanyahu’s vital coalition partners, foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman, who leads the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party.
Mr Lieberman has advocated a loyalty oath to the Jewish state for all Israelis, including Arab citizens, who make up about 20 percent of the population. The announcement of the proposed legislation comes as Mr Netanyahu is trying to avert the collapse of peace talks with the Palestinians. Begun just a month ago, the talks, sponsored by the United States, are threatened by the expiration last week of a 10-month Israeli moratorium on building new houses in Jewish settlements on the West Bank. Mr Netanyahu has said that he will not extend the partial freeze on construction, and the Palestinians have threatened to pull out of the negotiations unless it is extended.
Mr Lieberman, who has made no secret of his doubts about a peace accord with the Palestinians, opposes any further concessions on settlement building. The US has offered Mr Netanyahu a package of incentives to put before his cabinet to help him persuade them to extend the freeze by 60 days. The incentives include security guarantees and increased military aid.
The legislation proposed by Mr Netanyahu on the loyalty pledge appeared to be intended to win the backing of Mr Lieberman’s party and other pro-settler partners to extend the settlement freeze.