Following a protracted debate into the early hours of July 19, Israel’s Knesset gave final approval to the Nationality Law, a controversial bill that anchors Israel’s status as the nation-state of the Jewish people. Following the bill’s passage, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “One-hundred twenty-two years after [Theodor] Herzl made his vision known, with this law we determined the founding principle of our existence. Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people and respects the rights of all of its citizens. … In the Middle East, only Israel respects [rights].” Netanyahu went on to say, “Today we made it into law: This is the country, the language, the anthem and flag.”

During the stormy debate, Knesset members of the Arab Joint List party tore up copies of the bill and were expelled from the plenary.

The bill’s various articles that give priority to those who are Jews also strips the Arabic language spoken by 20% of Israeli citizens of its official status. Article 4 of the law says Arabic will no longer be the country’s official second language, as it was since the early years of the state. Instead, it grants Arabic “a special status in the state” and stipulates that the de facto status enjoyed by the language before the bill was passed must not be disturbed. The law, however, does not explain what the “special status” means and how this unique status will be implemented.

“Language is a bridge, a tool for getting to know the other, a way to get to know a culture,” Knesset member Ahmad Tibi of the Joint List said in an interview with Al-Monitor. “Language is a way to break down the walls of hatred, but Benjamin Netanyahu insists on building these walls as high as possible.” Tibi also said he had reached an agreement with the government coalition parties, including the ultra-Orthodox Yahadut HaTorah and Shas, the center-right Kulanu and even the rightist Yisrael Beitenu, on removing this article, but realized that Netanyahu "had gotten up on his hind legs and was protecting the article zealously."