Repeal Law of Return
Israel should revoke Law of Return and replace it with Citizenship Law
The government’s decision to extend the temporary order banning marriages between Arab Israelis and non-Israeli citizens was taken to prevent non-Israeli Arabs from marrying in order to acquire Israeli citizenship.
There is nothing wrong with Jewish Israel wanting to maintain a numeric majority. The very function of a border is to divide between a civilization born with different reasons and with people of differing cultures.
Citizenship laws are like border outposts: they are supposed to prevent a country from being flooded with immigrants, who by their very numbers would change the culture.
In order to justify such laws, there is no need to rely on national security in the military sense of the word. Anyone who objects to the Palestinian “right of return” is unlikely to change his mind should real peace break out between Israel and her neighbors.
The problem is how to protect the numeric majority of our community without violating the principles of enlightened humanity.
Citizenship laws that discriminate between those connected to the majority culture and those who aren’t are a glaring violation of human rights.
Those who cite European laws to defend this practice are mistaken. For while it is true that citizenship laws in Europe are tough, they do not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity or religion.
For instance, an Arab woman married to a Muslim citizen of Holland has exactly the same right to become a citizen as a Japanese woman marrying a Protestant citizen. The law is applied equally, regardless of religion or ethnicity. Not so here.
That said, the truth must be told: immigration laws that take into consideration an applicant’s financial status or suitability to meld with other societal considerations are no more justified than those based on ethnicity.
Throughout the world, mankind must move in the direction to allow freedom of movement, just as money - the cornerstone of the global economy - moves freely.
Giving equality to citizens of a country and not to those looking to join their ranks - this is a violation, for better or worse, by all countries. But this bitter truth does not excuse us from our unique problem.
Two notes: first, the fact is that radical supporters of suppression of Arabs are the same ones who until a few short years ago argued for the annexation of all the land we conquered in the Six Day War. It would never occur to them to pull out of eastern Jerusalem and return to the 1967 borders.
But it is difficult to see how Israel would benefit from annexing 400,000 Arabs, but must act to prevent granting citizenship to only a few thousand.
As the number of anexees grows, so does the demographic threat from the Arab community, as does the number of injured by the law and number of people hurt by the violation of human rights.
Secondly, for a long time there has been no real suggestion that Palestinians are looking to realize their “right” to “return” to Israel.
The fear of the Jewish community at losing its majority has led to the passing of laws allowing even non-Jews to become citizens, on condition they are the second-or-third generation relations of Jews.
Given this reality, many people feel the time has come to create a clearly defined citizenship law, rather than trying to patch up every hole that crops up with every difficult question.
The only answer is to revoke the law of return, and to replace it with a citizenship law that would take into account only those issues that will benefit the country’s citizens.
Granting citizenship on the basis of familial relationships is a positive thing, but we must also consider an applicant’s abilities and willingness to carry his or her weight as part of this country, including military service.
These considerations could bring Jews here that aren’t Jews, Chinese and Nigerians and Arabs, but their presence here will benefit the Jewish community without cutting into the principle of equality.
Those who aren’t Jewish or Arab would join the national consensus. A few Arabs would also look to join our country under these conditions. They should be welcomed.
