Egypt on Saturday rejected Israel’s “Nationality Law,” warning that it undermines peace efforts.
It "consolidates the notion of occupation and racial segregation, and undermines the chances of achieving peace and reaching a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian issue," the Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia also condemned the law. Citing a Saudi foreign ministry source, the official Saudi Press Agency said late Friday the kingdom "rejects and disapproves" of the new legislation
which it argued contradicts international law.
The source called on the international community to "confront such a law and or other Israeli attempts, aimed at perpetuating racial discrimination against the Palestinian people", SPA reported.
Saudi Arabia said the adoption of the law would also be a barrier to ending the Israeli-Palestinian-Arab conflict.
The Nationality Law codifies in the nation’s Basic Laws Israel’s status as the nation-state of the Jewish people into Israel’s Basic Laws and establishes Hebrew as its sole official language while giving Arabic special standing.
The Knesset approved the bill in its second and third readings before dawn Thursday morning, by a margin of 62 to 55.
The Israeli legislation was also condemned by the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, comprised of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
In addition, it was condemned by Jordan, Turkey, and the Arab League.