Hamas terrorist in Gaza
Hamas terrorist in GazaAbed Rahim Khatib/Flash 90

Hamas has an opinion on the 'Jewish State Law' making rounds in the Knesset, Channel 2 reports Tuesday - claiming that the law could provoke a "holy war." 

"The law sounds an alarm regarding Israel's ambitions in the region, and threatens to bring about a religious war," Hamas representatives in Gaza threatened Sunday. 

"The Israeli occupation is trying to protect Zionist myths and take control of Arab-populated areas, steal resources and humiliate [Palestinians]," it claimed. 

Hamas also appealed the international community to crack down on Israel for considering the law, which is claimed is "racist." 

"The movement will continue to act against the Israeli occupation to overthrow the imperialist enterprise", stressed the organization's leaders.

Jewish State Law: 'racist' or 'nationalist'?

The 'Jewish State Law' is comprised of two bills by three MKs: Ze'ev Elkin (Likud), Yariv Levin (Likud), and Ayelet Shaked (Jewish Home). Both bills, which are similar in their principles, effectively raise the Jewish influence on the legal system, elevating it over the "democratic" elements of Israel's identity as a "democratic and Jewish state."

The proposal, in practice, would see Hebrew defined as the only official language and Arabic relegated to a language with "special status"; concretize the Jewish star and holidays as national symbols and holidays; and define Israel as a state which "endeavors to settle Jews within its borders" - leaving out Israeli Arabs, detractors claim. 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's amendments to the law would reduce its efficacy to make the Jewish elements of the law equal to - but not higher than - the "democratic" character of Israel, and emphasizes that "the State will allow anyone in Israel, regardless of religion, race, or nationality, to preserve their culture, heritage, and identity."

It also leaves out the definition of Hebrew as the official language and the clause on Jews settling within its borders. 

Despite these amendments, leftist MKs have deemed the law to be "racist," claiming that even Netanyahu's clause on equality does not prevent the bill from making Arabs and other minorities "second-class citizens." 

The US apparently supports this position as well, after US State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke urged Israel Monday that "Israel is a Jewish and democratic state and all its citizens should enjoy equal rights," and "we expect Israel to stick to its democratic principles."

Hamas: bent on starting a war?

Hamas's position, meanwhile, reflects not only the terror organization's well-known stance against Jews and Israelis, but also growing calls to incite hatred against Israel in recent weeks. 

Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Zahar publicly declared last week that the group was intending to widen its terror scope throughout Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and that it intends to continue to lead the Palestinian Arab camp which advocates for armed struggle until Israel is destroyed.

Earlier this month, the group threatened another war outright unless Gaza was allowed to be "rehabilitated" - in other words, for construction materials to be flooded into the territory without supervision over their usage. 

And in October, Hamas declared the rising tensions in Jerusalem an official "third intifada" (terror war against Israel - ed.) as the "solution to Israeli aggression." 

Hamas has also been escalating its incitement campaign against Jews and Israelis through heightened rhetoric and social media, releasing a music video in broken Hebrew this month encouraging "car attacks" against Israeli citizens.