Ministers approve: Calling someone Nazi would be illegal

Bill stipulating that use of Nazi symbols, nicknames would draw fine, imprisonment passes ministerial committee, to be brought to Knesset approval
Moran Azulay|
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The Ministerial Committee on Legislation approved Sunday a bill forbidding the use of Nazi symbols and labels. The bill will be brought before the Knesset on Wednesday.
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MK Shimon Ohayon (Likud -Beiteinu),who proposed the bill, told Ynet: "The rise of neo-Nazi groups that use these symbols poses a danger to Jews around the world, but as long as the State of Israel doesn’t ban them, we cannot complain about their appearance around the world."
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According to the bill, the use of word Nazi will be forbidden, as well as Nazi-related nicknames. The ban relates to both verbal and written slander, targeting an individual, a group of people or a corporation.
Wearing striped attire reminiscent of Jews' uniform in Nazi camps or a yellow Star of David, or any use of swastikas could lead to six months in prison and NIS 100,000 fine.
MK Ohayon noted in his proposal: "Unfortunately, the use of Nazi symbols and nicknames is becoming prevalent in recent years.
"The unbearable lightness of the daily use of these terms as part of the public and political discourse, while completely disregarding the feelings of Holocaust survivors and their families, should be condemned. In this reality, we must ban the use of Holocaust related signs, in order to prevent the spread of the phenomenon."
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