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Israel: EU Call to Equality "Kicking at an Open Door"

(Jerusalem Post) Herb Keinon - Israel dismissed as "preaching to the converted" a comment by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton's spokeswoman on Tuesday that Europe expected Israel to guarantee equal rights for all its citizens, "whether they are Jewish or not." Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor responded, "It was never on anyone's agenda to deny equality of rights to all citizens of Israel, as is guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence and by constitutional law....Warning against a phantom danger does not contribute to advancing the debate." Another diplomatic official said there was "no question whatsoever that Israel's non-Jewish citizens will continue to enjoy full civil and legal equality. This is fundamental for Israel and not a matter of debate - it is something we demand of ourselves." The official questioned what exactly equality for Jews would mean in a future Palestinian state - where the PA recently reaffirmed that the death penalty would be applied to anyone convicted of selling land to Jews.
2010-10-14 11:14:57
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