Knesset Approves First Reading of "Legalization Bill"

Jerusalem, 7 December, 2016 (TPS) -- After a debate lasting more than four hours, the Knesset approved a first reading of the so-called Legalization Bill, aimed at retroactively legalizing Jewish communities built on privately-owned lands in Judea and Samaria. The measure passed by a 58-51 vote.

Likud MK Yoav Kish, one of the authors of the bill, emphasized that the measure does not concern cases where the residents were aware of having settled on privately-owned land, but only to those cases where they did so innocently and with support from the State.

Opposition members severely criticized the bill during the debate preceding the vote, calling it unconstitutional, a violation of the rule of law and a danger to the State of Israel.  

“All the principles, whether justice or common sense, have disappeared to become just one – We have the majority.” stated Meretz MK Tamar Zandberg.  

“The Knesset is going to vote today that stealing is permissible as long as those who steal are Jews and those who are stolen from from are Arabs. Your thirst for the whole Land of Israel will in the end destroy the Land of Israel,” she concluded.

In recent days, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit said that he will be hard-pressed to defend the new legislation when left-wing groups challenge it in the High Court of Justice, as they are certain to do. Mandelblit said the retroactive expropriation of private land is a clear violation of the both Geneva Convention, which Israel is a signatory to, and Israeli constitutional law.

Predictably, international and left-wing groups also slammed the measure, with Yesh Din, a legal aid organization that provides legal representation to Palestinians in Judea and Samaria, calling the measure the “Theft Bill.” In addition, a German Foreign Ministry spokesman said the move violates international law and undermines Israel’s claim to be committed to a two-state solution.

“[Legislation such as this one and the] Muezzin Bill are the instruments that foreign officials will use to power the BDS and to bring us before the Hague,” said Zionist Union MK Eyal Ben Reuven “They are incindiary laws and represent a very serious threat to the State.”