Does Israel’s identity as the Jewish state mean the oppression of its Arab minority?
Israel’s Declaration of Independence not only defines Israel as a Jewish state, but also as a democratic state based upon the principles of the separation of power, freedom, and complete equality before the law for all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race, gender or nationality.
It is important to note that as in any democracy, minorities in Israel enjoy the right to freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of association, among other important political rights. In fact, the freedoms that are afforded to minorities in Israel far surpass the freedoms granted to citizens of other Middle Eastern states.
Israel, like many other Western democracies, is still struggling to obtain absolute equality between all its citizens in practice. However, Israel’s strong democratic and legal protections provide a strong base for the protection of minority rights.
The full text in German is on my Website and the English original on the site of the Israeli Foreign Ministry.