NPR

Netanyahu Says Israel Is 'Nation-State Of The Jewish People And Them Alone'

The remark made less than a month before Israeli legislative elections prompted many people — including Israel's president and the star of Wonder Woman — to defend Israel's Palestinian Arab minority.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Arab citizens have equal rights under the law but that Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people — and only them. Soon after, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said Israel "has complete equality of rights for all its citizens."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is drawing criticism for saying that Israel is "the national state, not of all its citizens, but only of the Jewish people." The comment prompted many people — including Israel's president and the star of Wonder Woman — to defend Israel's Palestinian Arab minority.

Palestinian Arab citizens are about a fifth of Israel's population and often face discrimination and accusations of disloyalty.

The prime minister's

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