Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People (Proposal)

by Ayelet Shaked, Yariv Levin, and Robert Ilatov

Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People

I⁠Basic Principles

1. The State of Israel is the National Home of the Jewish People; wherein the Jewish People fulfills its yearning for self-determination in accordance with its historical and cultural heritage.

2. The Right of national self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish People.

3. This Basic Law and all other laws shall be interpreted in conformity with this provision.

II⁠Purpose

1. The purpose of this Basic Law is to secure the character of Israel as the National State of the Jewish People in order to codify in a basic law the values of Israel as a Jewish democratic state in the spirit of the principles of its Declaration of Independence.

III⁠State Symbols

1. The national anthem is "Hatikva".

2. The flag is white, two blue stripes along its top and bottom margins and a blue Star of David at its center.

3. The state symbol is a seven-branched menorah with olive branches on either side of the menorah and the word "Israel" at its base.

IV⁠Language

1. Hebrew is the state language.

2. Arabic shall have a special standing in the state; those who speak Arabic shall have access in their own language to State services, all as prescribed by law.

 

V⁠Return

1. Every Jew shall have the right to immigrate to Israel and to obtain citizenship in accordance with the provisions of law.

VI⁠Ingathering of the Exiles and Jewish Settlement

1. The State will act to ingather the exiles of Israel and to promote Jewish settlement in its territory and it shall allocate resources for these purposes.

VII⁠The Connection to the Jewish People in the Diaspora

1. The State will act to strengthen the connection between Israel and the Jews of the Diaspora.

2. The State will extend a helping hand to members of the Jewish People who are in distress or in captivity on account of their being Jews.

VIII⁠The Study of Jewish Heritage

1. The State will act to preserve the cultural and historical heritage of the Jewish People and will act to nurture it in Israel and the Diaspora.

2. The history of the Jewish people, its heritage and its traditions shall be taught in all educational institutions serving the Jewish public.

IX⁠Preservation of Culture, Heritage and Identity

1. Each resident of Israel, without regard to his religion or nationality, shall be entitled to strive for the preservation of his culture, heritage, language and identity.

2. The State may permit a community, including the members of a single religion or the members of a single nationality, to establish separate community settlements.

 

X⁠The Official Calendar

1. The Hebrew Calendar is the official State calendar.

XI⁠Independence Day

1. Independence Day is the national holiday of the State.

2. The Day of Remembrance for the fallen soldiers and the Holocaust Memorial Day are official state days of remembrance.

XII⁠Days of Rest

1. The established days of rest in the State of Israel are the Sabbath and the Jewish Holidays; an employee shall not work on these days of rest except under conditions established by law. Individuals belonging to ethnic groups recognized by law shall be entitled to refrain from work on their holidays.

XIII⁠Jewish Civil Law

1. Where a court decides that a dispute cannot be resolved by existing statute, by judicial precedent, or by strict legal analogy, it shall render its decision in accordance with the principles of freedom, justice, equity, and peace derived from Jewish civil law.

XIV⁠Preservation of Holy Sites

1. The holy sites shall be protected against desecration and all other damage and against anything that would interfere with freedom of access of religious groups to places holy to them or to their sensibilities regarding said holy sites.

XV⁠Safeguard

1. This Basic Law shall not be changed except by a Basic Law passed by a majority of the Knesset.