Well, let's examine that question. What kind of "states" or nations are there around the world? There are many nations that are homogeneously catholic and mono linguistic (like Italy, Spain, Brazil, Argentina etc.), Many nations that are homogeneously Islamic and homogeneously linguistic. Other nations that are homogeneously Shintu and Budhist. There are nations that are heterogeneous, like Belgium, Israel, the US etc. Israel has more than 20% of its population non Jewish and both Hebrew and Arabic are the land's formal languages (although, from walking in a city's street one would think that English and Russian are also state languages in Israel <g>). Yes, Israel is mostly a Jewish/Hebrew speaking state with an Arab/Muslim (and Druze, and Beduins, and Circasians and many other minorities) just as Belgium is mostly a French speaking/catholic state with a flemish/protestant minority. Each country has its own quirks as related to citizenship. It is too lengthy to go into comparative analysis of that situation, however, since Jews have had a long history of persecution in their host countries, Israel has determined that any Jew that wants "protection" from such persecution in a Jewish state, can become an Israeli citizen.
Zeev |
