UAE’s Anwar Gargash blasts Israel’s ‘racist’ nation state law

The UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs has branded Israel as racist for enacting a controversial Jewish nation-state law, saying it weakened the possibility for a two-state solution.

“The Israeli Knesset’s ratification of the Jewish-state law enshrines the racist practises against Palestinians and falls in the context of weakening the current political direction for a two-state solution,” Dr Anwar Gargash tweeted on Friday.

The Israeli parliament passed landmark legislation on Thursday that critics say gives state sanction for the creation of Jewish only neighbourhoods off limits to Arabs. The nation-state law also demoted Arabic from an official language to one with an unspecified “special status”.

About 20 per cent of Israel's population is Arab, and the passing of the law was criticised globally as a step towards the implementation of an apartheid state.

_________________

Editorial: Israel has shed even the pretence of fairness towards its Arab citizens

Read more: Israel's push to strip Arabic of its official language status

Watch: Tantura - a destroyed Palestinian village

_________________

Minister Gargash suggested that greater unity in the Arab world was required to pursue justice for Palestinians. “The multiple developments across the Palestinian case requires more Arab collaboration and co-operation,” he said. “The need for intensifying the joint Arab political effort in the light of these rapid developments is crucial.”

He also criticised Qatar and Iran for their unilateral approaches to Israel. “The issue of the Palestinian divide is central, the solution is not to be found in the Qatari communication with Israel on the Gaza case nor the pointed Iranian bid to score political gains.”