Isaeli apartheid hits a new peak

Al Jazeera Ameica - Israel's Cabinet on Sunday approved a contentious bill that officially defines Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people.

The bill still needs to be passed in parliament to become a law, but the latest move may further inflame tensions with Arab Israelis and Palestinians. It could also shake up Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government due to the fierce opposition of two of his more centrist partners.

The bill calls for recognizing Israel's Jewish character, institutionalizing Jewish law as an inspiration for legislation, and delisting Arabic as an official language. Opponents say the bill undermines Israel's democracy, and rights groups have called it racist.

Arabs make up about 20 percent of Israel's population and strongly oppose the bill.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday warned of the dangers of the law and called on the international community to take an unreserved position in its regard.

In a statement, the ministry said Netanyahu’s government is seeking to endorse the occupation of Palestine and is bringing the curtain down on efforts to revive negotiation. Adopting the law would legitimize what the ministry called racist measures as practiced by the Israeli government against Palestinian citizens of Israel.