Palestinians condemn Israeli parliament for approving "racial" law

RAMALLAH, May 2 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinians on Wednesday condemned the Israeli Knesset, or parliament, for approving a "racial" law which urges judges to consult Jewish law in absence of legal precedent.

In a 64-50 vote, Knesset members voted in favor of the draft law, which is intended to expand the influence of Jewish law on judicial decisions.

It enshrines the status of Israel as a national homeland for the Jewish people, saying that the right of the Jewish people to self-determination in their homeland is the exclusive right of the Jewish people.

The law considers the disputed holy city of Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel, and Hebrew as the official language.

The Palestinians denounced the law, also opposed by Arab Knesset members, as "racial."

Hanan Ashrwi, member of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), said in a press statement that the law is "legislation for racism practiced by Israel to eliminate the Palestinian existence and erase the indigenous inhabitants of the land."

"It affirms that the issue for Israel is ideologically, with the aim of canceling the other, confiscating the Palestinian right on the historic land of Palestine and canceling the right of return of Palestinian refugees to their homes and land," she said.

Ashrawi called on the international community to lift Israel's immunity and hold it accountable for its systematic violations of international laws, UN resolutions and end "the unfair bias of the occupation at the expense of the rights of the Palestinians."

Meanwhile, Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the PLO executive committee, condemned the Israeli media campaign against Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and accusing him for being anti-Semitism.

Erekat said in a press statement that he was surprised by the "coordinated Israeli attack all over the world in an attempt to accuse President Abbas of anti-Semitism, while it rejects negotiations and accused him of terrorism many times."

He stressed that Abbas has repeatedly highlighted his respect for the Jewish religion. Enditem