Israeli-Arab lawmaker resigns over Jewish nation bill

Arab Israeli Zouheir Bahloul resigned on July 28, 2018 and branded the parliament “racist” after it passed a controversial new law which declares Israel the nation state of the Jewish people. (AFP/Ahmad Gharabli)

• Zuhair Bahloul says he can no longer serve in a country that officially marginalizes the Arab minority he represents
• Bahloul, a former popular sports broadcaster, is regarded as a symbol of Jewish and Arab coexistence

JERUSALEM: An Israeli Arab lawmaker says he is resigning from parliament for “ideological reasons” to protest the recent passage of a controversial law enshrining the state’s Jewish character.
Labor lawmaker Zuhair Bahloul says Sunday he can no longer serve in a country that officially marginalizes the 20 percent Arab minority he represents.
Bahloul, a former popular sports broadcaster, is regarded as a symbol of Jewish and Arab coexistence.
His departure marks further fallout from the explosive bill, which has also seen strong opposition from a Druze minority that serves in the military and feels slighted by the legislation.
Israel’s 1948 declaration of independence defined its nature as a Jewish and democratic state. The government says the bill merely enshrines the country’s existing character but critics say it undercuts its democratic values.