Israel's new Nation-State Law continues to make waves, both at home and abroad.

The motion, passed as one of Israel's constitutional Basic Laws, enshrines the Jewish character of the state.

However, in so doing, the Nation-State Law elicited accusations of racism, with opponents insisting that it would lead to preferential treatment for Israel's Jewish majority.

Two local Messianic leaders responded to the law, one in support of it, and one opposed.

Pastor Israel Harel

Already in the Balfour Declaration, the nation of Israel was established as a “Homeland for the Jewish People.” However, because of a flood of ongoing cases being brought to Israel's Supreme Court trying to change and squash this understanding of Israel as a homeland of the Jewish people, it was necessary to make a law in order to protect, in law, the Jewish character of Israel.

Victor Gregorian

As a Jew myself, Israel is my country, as it is for the members of my household who may not be Jewish. The new Nation-State Law weakens and even undermines these foundations, and raises a serious dilemma for me and many others in this land. If, as the new law states, this is a homeland only for the Jewish people, and not for my wife and our non-Jewish children, then what are we doing here?

In the upcoming October 2018 issue of Israel Today Magazine, we explore this issue in more depth, including additional reactions from local Arabic-speaking Christians and leading Israeli analysts.

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