Palestinian MP quits over racist Knesset's nation-state law

A Palestinian member of Israel’s parliament has resigned over the recent adoption of a controversial law that claims Jewish supremacy over Arabs.

Zouheir Bahloul, of the opposition Zionist Union party on Saturday announced his resignation, noting that he would no longer be able to face his family if he remained.

"I am resigning from the Knesset," he said during a televised interview.

"The nation state law officially, constitutionally, removes the Arab population from the path of equality in Israel..."Should I sit on the fence? Should I give legitimacy to this destructive, racist, extremist parliament?," he further noted.

He added that his resignation would be effective when parliament returns from its summer recess in September, but he vowed not to reconsider his move until then.

"I faithfully promise that I shall not go back," he said.

Earlier in the month, Israel’s parliament (Knesset) adopted a controversial bill that declares the occupying entity “the nation-state of the Jewish people,” in what is widely criticized as an apartheid measure that could lead to discrimination against its own Arab population.

PressTV-Knesset approves apartheid ‘Israel for Jews’ law

Israel’s parliament sparks anger among the Arab population by adopting an apartheid law that declares the occupying entity “the nation-state of the Jewish people.”

Besides officially designating Israel as a “state” exclusively for the Jews, the law defines occupied Jerusalem al-Quds as the “capital” of Israel, downgrades the status of the Arabic language and encourages the promotion of the regime’s settlements — which have been built on occupied land and thus viewed as unlawful by the world community.

All Palestinian groups in the West Bank and the blockaded Gaza Strip -- along with the UN and the EU -- have blasted the racist law, which has sparked mass protests in the Israeli-occupied territories.

Last week, A senior Iranian diplomat said Israel’s adoption of a law that defines the occupied territories as an exclusively “Jewish state” is further proof of the regime’s apartheid nature, urging international pressure on Tel Aviv to cancel the law.

PressTV-‘Israel for Jews’ law legalizes apartheid: Iran at UN

At the UN Security Council, Iran calls on the world community to pressure Israel into canceling its racist ‘Jewish nation-state’ law.

Last week, A senior Iranian diplomat said Israel’s adoption of a law that defines the occupied territories as an exclusively “Jewish state” is further proof of the regime’s apartheid nature, urging international pressure on Tel Aviv to cancel the law.

Mass funeral held for killed Palestinian teenager    

Meanwhile, thousands of people gathered in the besieged Gaza Strip to bury an 11-year-old boy shot in the head by Israeli snipers.

Majdi al-Satari was shot by Israeli forces in east Rafah on Friday during weekly anti-Israel protests.

The Gaza Health Ministry said the child died from a bullet in the head. He was one of three Palestinians killed.

"There were two gunshots from a sniper. One hit one of those cutting the wire in the leg and the other gunshot hit the boy in his head," said a witness.

"He is a child. He had no bullets or weapons," said the deceased's grandmother, "He was standing like all children watching. They shot him from afar. Isn't he a child? Why are they targeting children?," she added.

Earlier in the day, another Palestinian teenager died less than a day after being shot by Israeli military forces during clashes between a group of Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces in the besieged Gaza Strip.

PressTV-Gazan teenager dies of wounds from Israeli gunfire

A Gazan teenager has died of wounds after being shot by Israeli troops during anti-occupation protests along the border with the occupied territories.

His death brings to 155 the number of Palestinians who have been killed by Israeli forces ever since anti-occupation protest rallies began in the Gaza Strip on March 30.

A total of 14,811 Palestinians have also sustained injuries, of whom 366 are reportedly in critical condition.

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