Michael Oren
Michael OrenMiriam Alster/Flash 90

Deputy Minister Michael Oren (Kulanu) on Sunday responded to a demand by the Palestinian Authority (PA) to expel Israel from the United Nations in the wake of the approval of the Nationality Law.

"The 137 countries that recognized a Palestinian state did so with the intention of advancing peace, and what are the Palestinians doing in response? They are appealing to the United Nations to demand that Israel be expelled from all international organizations. This time, the excuse is the enactment of the Nationality Law,” he said.

"Even without the Nationality Law, the goal of the Palestinians was and remains the same - to wipe Israel off the map," the Deputy Minister said. "Unfortunately, those 137 countries that recognized 'Palestine' are wrong to think that the PA's activity is meant for peace.”

"These countries are, in fact, helping the Palestinians' malicious plot to expel Israel from the UN and thus to destroy the State of Israel, all without any connection to the Nationality Law. This is not how peace looks, this is what a perpetuation of the conflict looks," added Oren.

The Nationality Law, which was recently approved by the Knesset, states that Israel is the Jewish people's nation state and establishes as law Israel's flag, symbols, the Hebrew language, and various other items mentioned in the Declaration of Independence.

The law does not affect the rights of minority citizens in Israel.

It has been criticized by PA officials. Former chief PA negotiator Saeb Erekat claimed the law “aims at destroying the two-state solution and replacing it with an apartheid regime.”

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also blasted the Knesset over its approval of the Nationality Law, claiming the bill is discriminatory.

The legislation was also criticized by the Arab League, which called its approval another bid to cement the “occupation of Palestinian territories” and wriggle out from recognizing Palestinian rights.