Former Israeli Ambassador to Canada and Foreign Ministry legal advisor Attorney Alan Baker responds strongly to the Arab MKs' call to the UN to promote a condemnation of the Nationality Law and against Israel.
"The Knesset and legislators must consider there is a breach of the oath they swore in the Knesset to be loyal to the State of Israel, in practice undermining the foreign relations of the State of Israel. This requires attention of the Knesset Speaker and Members of Knesset," says Baker, who is currently in charge of the International Law Program at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.
Baker does not see practical implications of a UN Israel condemnation. "This is actually a condemnation by the Palestinian Authority, and the Arab MKs simply join as hitchhikers to strengthen their position in the run-up to the elections. From the international point of view, this is a condemnation resolution by the UN General Assembly that condemns Israel on average once every two weeks, and this proposal has no binding legal force.
"The Arab states usually succeed in raising an automatic majority, and even if they offer a proposal that the earth is square, it will be accepted by automatic majority. In the end, we're talking about a gimmick, a public relations ploy by Arab MKs who simply want to gain publicity for themselves and win support in the elections.
"There's a difference between legitimate criticism and undermining a country's foreign relations. These are actions that undermine the very legitimacy of the State of Israel. It already goes beyond the limits of criticism. They're going to New York and are taking part in a Palestinian condemnation of Israel, which is a grave blow."