Proposed Israeli Constitution Has Controversial Provisions On Religion-State

Today, the Jerusalem Post reports, Israel's Knesset was presented with a draft of a Constitution for the country, along with background material written by constitutional experts. The 9,000 pages of documents were presented by Law and Justice Committee Chairman Michael Eitan to the Knesset on a CD. By a vote of 30-19 members agreed to pass on the draft proposal to the 17th Knesset. While Likud, Labor and Kadima MKs praised the draft, controversy surrounds its provisions on religion and state. National Religious Party leader Zvulun Orlev said, "This draft destroys the spirit and soul of Israel, it gives legitimacy to the separation of church and state in Israel." On the other side, Meretz leader Zahava Gal-On criticized the draft for failing to protect minority rights, saying, "It fails to protect Israel's minority communities, such [as] women, those who wish to marry outside the Rabbinate, Arabs, non-Orthodox Jews, and the homosexual community."