Israeli MK Thanks Trump for Helping Legalize Jewish Settlements - Israel Today

Israeli MK Thanks Trump for Helping Legalize Jewish Settlements

Tuesday, February 07, 2017 |  Israel Today Staff

RELATED STORIES

• Barak: Israel may have to surrender Judea-Samaria
• Rise of the State of Judea
• 'Israel must never carry out another disengagement'

Topics:

Settlements

Israel’s Knesset on Monday passed a controversial bill that will legalize even unauthorized Jewish settlement outposts in the so-called “West Bank.”

Following the vote on what is known as the Regulation Law, right-wing lawmaker Bezalel Smotrich (Jewish Home) took the podium and publicly thanked US President Donald Trump and the American people for making such a move possible.

“Without [Trump] the law would have probably not passed,” said Smotrich.

It is true that Israeli governments have often refrained from bolstering the settlement of the Land of Israel if they thought the Americans would object. It is a certainty that the rest of the world will always object, so without American coverage, Israel fears being too isolated.

What’s also true is that President Trump has repeatedly stated, in contrast to previous US governments, that Jewish settlements are not the obstacle to peace in the Middle East.

While Trump has cautioned Israel against making unilateral moves (or at least against announcing them to the world), he has also appointed diplomats who firmly believe Israel should be sovereign in _all_the land.

As for the Regulation Law, the Trump Administration pointedly refused to comment on the matter when pressed by reporters.

Instead, the White House will wait to see if Israel’s Supreme Court approves the law and then quietly consult on the matter with the relevant parties.

Quite the contrast to former US President Barack Obama. And the reason why Israel feels emboldened to take such measures.

Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates

Status of Christian 'Arabs,' Says Israeli MK

Time to Upgrade Status of Christian 'Arabs,' Says Israeli MK

Friday, January 10, 2014 |  Israel Today Staff  

Share on bloggerShare on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailMore Sharing Services

• Enlarge

Related Stories

• Israeli rabbis remain hesitant to accept Christian support
• Lebanese Christians want end to armed Palestinian gangs
• Historian: Israel safest place in Mideast for Christians

Topics:

Christians

Is it possible to lessen the influence of the Muslim majority among Israel's large Arab community? That is the aim of new legislation proposed by Knesset Member and coalition chairman Yariv Levin (Likud), who wants to separate and boost the status of local Christian Arabs.

In fact, Levin echoes what several Christian leaders from Nazareth have told Israel Today in the past: that local Christians aren't really Arabs, anyway, as their presence in the land far predates the Muslim Arab conquest.

"My legislation would provide separate representation and a separate reference to the Christian public," Levin told the Israeli newspaper Maariv. "This is a historic and important step that can help to balance the State of Israel and to further connect us and the Christians, and I'm careful not to call them Arabs, because they are not Arabs."

Among the new laws proposed by Levin are:

• The right for Christians to be registered in their national ID cards as "Christian," rather than "Arab";
• Mechanisms recognizing Christians as a separate minority for the purpose of providing state benefits; and
• Separate representation for Christians on regional and municipal councils.

Similar laws already exist for Israel's Druze minority, and Levin said there is no reason the same should not be true for local Christians.

The Christians "have a different character" than the Muslims or Arabs, he noted. "They can identify with the state" and in so doing should receive the same recognition and benefits as the Druze.

Levin went on to point out that "we (Jews) have much in common with the Christians. They are our natural allies, and a counterweight to the Muslims who want to destroy the country from within."

He believes that if Israel begins to show special recognition and grants preferred status to Christians, the effect will rub off on many Muslims who do not agree with the radical positions of their political leaders.

But, Levin said that unfortunately Israel has to date done too little to help Christians feel that the state has their back, in the same way that it does the Druze. Much of that stems from lumping all Arabs together when dealing with ethnic tensions and national security threats.

Levin hopes his new legislation recognizing Christians as a separate minority group will change all that, and help a growing number of local Christians take pride in their Israeli nationality.

Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates