The law was approved with the support of 21 MKs from coalition and right-wing parties, with nine MKs from Meretz, Hadash, and the Arab parties voting against it. The vote extended the temporary amendment for another year despite harsh criticism from the High Court of Justice and although another petition against the law has been filed with the court.

Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit asked the Knesset to renew the temporary amendment, sparking angry reactions from MKs with Arab parties and Meretz.

“A blatantly inhumane law”

“This law is blatantly inhumane,” said MK Ahmad Tibi (Raam-Taal). “It prohibits a couple from living together and stops fathers from living with their children. The law considers every couple linked by love across the Green Line to be a threat and conspirators against Zionism.”

The chair of Meretz, MK Zahava Gal-On, attacked the amendment and asked that the debate be postponed until the High Court of Justice ruled on the petitions filed against it. MK Jamal Zahalka (Balad) said that the law was racist. “If it is allowed for Jews but forbidden to Arabs, that’s racism,” he said.

Also attacking the law, MK Mohammad Barakeh said, “The world imposes sanctions for the passage of just such laws,” adding, “If this law isn’t racist, I don’t know what a racist law would be.”

MK Reuvin Rivlin (Likud) joined the critics of the law, saying, “This is not a law that will make Israeli law or the state of Israel proud, but we are living in a brutal conflict with our neighbors.”

In contrast, MK Gideon Saar, the chair of the Likud parliamentary bloc, said, “We are under no obligation to allow our enemies who have declared war on us to enter Israel.”

Reader responses to the article

A very wise decree. Family reunification can take place in the Palestinian Authority. A family reunification law should not exist for Israel. Those who want it can go to where his family lives, to the PA or Gaza. The decree is fine, both in terms of security and demography. This is the custom in most of the world. We have no need to allow our enemies to enter. It’s enough with the ones we already have. If I wanted to unite with my family in Italy or Germany, I wouldn’t be able to, and I certainly wouldn’t receive citizenship—Fighter.

A smart, just law. I say to the fools: go live with them. May the Lord bless those who came up with this law—Natan S., Maalot.

A democracy with first-class citizens and second-class citizens. It’s on its way out. If it’s not possible to grant Arabs equal rights (and it’s not), we need to get rid of them. We need to get rid of all Arabs in the land of Israel. It’s unfortunate that the people living in Zion feel incapacitated. They prefer to console themselves with thoughts that everything will be alright and they don’t do anything. My family actually does have foreign passports—Efraim.

I agree. The current situation is awful because of the hypocrisy. On one hand, we want to be the most moral in the world while on the other the Arabs are second-class citizens. It’s time for real separation. No one should leave his home, but no one can have a blue identity card unless he’s loyal to the state and serves in the army or the national service—Bandia, Tel Aviv.

The law should encourage families to live in Arab land—With perseverance and determination, we need to expel the parasites.

Family reunification only in the 23 Arab countries, with the objective of keeping them safe from injustice in unjust Israel!—Koren Naveh, Tiberias, the zoo.

Family reunification can take place where the second part of the “family” lives—Terrorist specialist.

Those who want family reunification can go to Gaza with the Arab MKs and anti-Semitic leftists—Red, Tel Aviv.

Source: www.nrg.co.il

Israeli Comments

July 1, 2008

By: Arik Bender