A friend of mine, who we’ll call Mad X, just posted some thoughts on Lieberman’s planned initiative, of having people swearing allegiance to the state, as prerequisite to citizenship in Israel. Since these thoughts were in Hebrew, I took the liberty of translating them:
"ERETZ-ISRAEL [(Hebrew) – the Land of Israel, Palestine] was the birthplace of the Jewish people. Here their spiritual, religious and political identity was shaped. Here they first attained to statehood, created cultural values of national and universal significance and gave to the world the eternal Book of Books." (Wikipedia)
A government that betrayed its people from the first moment:
"WE DECLARE that, with effect from the moment of the termination of the Mandate being tonight, the eve of Sabbath, the 6th Iyar, 5708 (15th May, 1948), until the establishment of the elected, regular authorities of the State in accordance with the Constitution which shall be adopted by the Elected Constituent Assembly not later than the 1st October 1948…" (Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
A constitution wasn’t written because (among other reasons)
"…the disagreements over a constitution could lead to a cultural war between the religious and secular populations; The state of Israel is always in a state of change and forging, and these do not sit down well with a constitution…" (Kneset.gov [Hebrew])
Even though basic human rights that are guaranteed by a constitution don’t change, moreover
"…The idea of a constitution came about in past centuries, at the base of which were social and economical struggles that don’t exist anymore…" (Kneset.gov [Hebrew])
Don’t the social and economical struggles, indeed, still exist?
"Because of the lack of a written constitution in Britain, the rule of law and democracy in this state are steadfast, and civil rights are preserved as well…" (Kneset.gov [Hebrew])
Boldface lie! Not only does an England constitution exists (surely one of a kind, but nevertheless constitutional) since 1215 (!) that forces the king to abide by the law and allows his subjects habeas corpus (and clarifies the subject of interest loans, which was an important element of well being of Jews in the kingdom). This [the British] constitution is the base ideology for any constitutional democracy that was founded, since then, as it outlines the inarguable principle that government is subject to the principles of law and justice, and can’t withhold it from its subjects.
An additional idiotic argument creates a symmetry between born citizens and immigrants, stating
"…a minority of the Jewish people is situated in Israel, and the state has no right to accept a constitution that will obligate the millions that have yet to immigrate [to Israel]…" (Kneset.gov [Hebrew])
Certainly not before the state pledged its allegiance to them, in the form of an irrefutable, binding document (a constitution and not "basic laws" that are basically refutable).
That’s why the demand to pledge allegiance as a prerequisite to citizenship has its roots in fascist ideology and not in democratic ideology. More so, when the pledge is directed at hollow symbols and not at basic principles of state (basic laws=symbol, constitution=basic principles).
I wish that Lieberman, the immigrant from Moldavia, will force me to swear allegiance to his symbols and officially turn me- third generation in Israel- into a refugee in my own country.
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