The Hindu: Israel’s population registry lists a slew of “nationalities” and ethnicities, among them Jew, Arab, Druze and more. But one word is conspicuously absent from the list: Israeli.
Residents cannot identify themselves as Israelis in the national registry because the move could have far-reaching consequences for the country’s Jewish character, the Israeli Supreme Court wrote in documents obtained on Thursday.
The ruling was a response to a demand by 21 Israelis, most of who are officially registered as Jews, that the court decide whether they can be listed as Israeli in the registry. The group had argued that without a secular Israeli identity, Israeli policies will favour Jews and discriminate against minorities.
The decision touches on a central debate in Israel, which considers itself both Jewish and democratic, yet has struggled to balance both. The country has not officially recognised an Israeli nationality.
Categories: Arab World, Asia, Israel, Middle East