Israel Extends Ban on Muslim Immigration

It's strange to say, but interfaith marriage is a national security issue in Israel. Or at least, the Israelis say so. Maybe that's why the Jewish state has recently reinstated a law banning Palestinians from attaining Israeli citizenship, even if an individual marries an Israeli citizen.

The preposterously-named Family Unification provision has now extended the ban on intermarriage benefits for another six months. Along with its prohibition against attaining citizenship, the law will continue to bar Palestinian spouses of Israeli citizens from establishing residency in Israel. Children produced from these mixed marriages will also be denied residency and citizenship.

One can't help but notice with disdain that this law pertains only to Palestinian spouses. Were an Israeli to marry someone other than a Palestinian Authority Muslim, then all would be fine. In effect, the new law is not only an effort to keep certain immigrants away from Israel, but a measure against interbreeding.

Of course, this won't stop people from getting married. A growing number of interfaith couples choose to travel abroad in order to legally honor their marriages. But the effort they must make to marry the person they choose is a direct result of Israel's blatant discriminatory policies.

Israel's government sees things differently. Can it be said it is in Israel's best interest to populate a Jewish state with Jews? Based on an the various wars and conflicts Israel has had with its Arab neighbors, then yes, an argument can be made.

But there is something fundamentally wrong about designing an immigration policy based on preventing a marriage between two people who, were they not of disparate nationality and religion, would be treated exactly the same as almost any other couple on Earth. There is also something very wrong with denying the children of those relationships the chance to attain citizenship. Leaving the door wide open to a stateless generation of Arab-Israelis should be unacceptable and unbecoming of a wealthy and educated populace.

But Israel's Arabs are a demographic time bomb, insist some of the most powerful voices in the Israeli government. Something must be done about it. This rule is "in accordance with long-term national interests of Israel," say top government officials. But it's not as simple as that, and the Israeli government knows it. Tell Israel to stop banning interfaith marriage.

Photo credit: phauly