American Federation of Teachers Condemns Anti-Democratic Events in Israel

WASHINGTON—AFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement in response to Israel passing a nation-state law:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed—and by a slim majority the Israeli Knesset has passed—a so-called nation-state law that repudiates the democratic, egalitarian and pluralist values on which the state of Israel was founded. It is a giant leap backward for the people of Israel. It is anti-Arab and anti-minority, and it embodies a bigotry and authoritarianism that I fear was energized and emboldened by the current U.S. president. 

“We condemn this despicable law, as well as the anti-gay surrogacy law the Knesset recently enacted, and the detainment of Rabbi Dov Haiyun for conducting a non-Orthodox marriage. These anti-democratic and nativist actions make it more imperative to support the progressive voices in Israel who are fighting to reclaim Israel’s place as a functional, thriving democracy in the Middle East.”