Israel: Parliament again adopts a maligned law on citizenship

The Knesset, Israel's parliament, passes a controversial citizenship law after several about-faces.

MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP

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The Knesset adopts, after several about-faces, a controversial law on citizenship.

This vote was made possible by “ 

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The text reinstates the prohibition for Palestinians married to Israeli Arabs to obtain Israeli nationality.

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With our correspondent in Jerusalem

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Just before the parliamentary holidays, the Israeli Parliament finally adopted again the text which prevents family reunification between Palestinians and Israeli Arabs with automatic obtaining of Israeli nationality, by 45 votes for and 15 against.

Since its first adoption in July 2003, the Citizenship Law has been regularly renewed by the Knesset.

But a few months ago, the right-wing opposition voted against the text to embarrass the government.

A law adopted thanks to the voices of the far right

This time, the vote on the text was made possible thanks to the votes of a far-right party, while – a sign of the fragility of the government coalition – two left-wing parties opposed it. .

The Islamic Ra'am party, however, did not accept that the vote be considered a motion of no confidence, which could have caused the fall of the government.

MPs from the “dove” party, Meretz, also voted against a law they consider racist.

Israel's civil rights movement intends to appeal to the country's Supreme Court to have the law ruled unconstitutional.

► Listen: Israeli Arabs torn between their Israeli citizenship and their Palestinian identity

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