Center for the Humanities and the Public Sphere

Time: Tuesday 2/12, 5 pm.

Location:   Library East Judaica Suite , 1545 W University Ave 

Is the National State Law legislated this year in Israel really new or just a continuation of old, settled and known Zionist ideology and practice? In many ways the new basic law does not add anything new to the basic principle and ideals that laid the foundation for Israel as a Jewish State. Since its early days the Zionist project was based on separation between Jewish settlers and local Palestinians, and it meant first and foremost to secure a safe haven for Jews, not for Jews and Palestinians. I argue, however, that its mere explicit legislation marks a transition into a new phase. It means that the old tools used to impose separation are not efficient anymore and there is a need to reshape the legal system in order to institutionalize separation. Because the new law reduces the gap between official policy and political reality, it provides a real opportunity for mobilization toward change.