Israeli ministers have approved the wording of a new law that would downgrade Arabic from an official language and declare that the right to self-determination in Israel “is unique to the Jewish people”. The nation state bill, backed by the ministerial committee for legislation, will now proceed to a vote in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.
If passed, the legislation would make Hebrew the sole national language, with Arabic relegated to “a special status in the state”. Arabic speakers would still have the right to language-accessible state services, but critics argue the bill is discriminatory and could undermine Israel’s character as both a Jewish and democratic state by harming minority rights.
The bill has drawn sharp condemnation from opposition politicians, academics, and parts of the Israeli media. Ayman Odeh, head of the Joint List representing Arab-Israeli parties, called it a “declaration of war” on Arab citizens, saying it “establishes two classes of citizen – Jewish and Arab”. Erel Margalit, a contender for the leadership of the centrist Zionist Union party, described the bill as “reminiscent of dark periods” in history.
Supporters, however, defend the measure. The bill’s sponsor, Likud MP Avi Dichter, said it was “a big step towards defining our identity... to be a free people in our land”. He argued the bill was necessary because “events of recent months prove that this is a battle for Israel’s image and national identity”. The legislative committee’s chairman, Yariv Levin, also of Likud, said he had “put an end to foot-dragging” on the legislation, which has been in deliberation for four years.
The timing of the bill is significant, coming two weeks before a planned visit by US President Donald Trump, who had hoped to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The bill must pass several stages in the Knesset and could be challenged in the courts before becoming law.
