Bill to legalize preferences based on military service passes preliminary reading; Adalah: Bill discriminates against Arab citizens

31/10/2013

On 30 October 2013, the 'Contributors to the State Bill' passed a preliminary reading in the Israeli Knesset. The bill grants additional, extensive benefits to those that are already granted to persons who perform military and national service. This bill also states that these additional benefits will not be regarded as constituting unlawful discrimination. The initial approval comes three days after the Ministerial Committee for Legislation voted to approve the bill for the Knesset's consideration.

Prior to the Minsiterial Committee's vote, Adalah Attorney Nadeem Shehadeh sent a letter to the Committee members calling on them to reject the proposed bill and to remove it from the Knesset’s agenda. Adalah argued that the bill stipulated preferences for citizens who ‘contribute to the state’, i.e. those who perform military or national service well above and beyond the existing law. It includes additional preferences in many different areas, including in the allocation of student housing, hiring for governmental jobs, and land distribution. If passed, this law would also amend an existing law, which bans discrimination in access to goods, services, and entry into entertainment venues and public places, by stating that such preferential treatment shall not be considered discrimination as prohibited by this law. The new law would also conflict with laws that provide for appropriate representation of Arab citizens and women in governmental jobs.

Adalah further argued that giving benefits and privileges to persons who perform military or civil service harms Arab citizens of Israel, who do not serve in the army for political and historical reasons. Significantly, the bill is based on a similar bill that was approved by the committee but blocked by Minister of Justice Tzipi Livni from progressing to a vote in the Knesset plenum.