2 Israel ministers seek changes to Jewish nation law after court challenge from Druze minority

Two key ministers have called for changes to a controversial law declaring Israel the nation state of the Jewish people after a backlash and a court challenge from the Druze minority, AFP reported. Members of 130,000-strong Druze community have been among those strongly denouncing the law. Community leaders have filed a court challenge to the law. On Thursday, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon called for changes in response to the concerns of Druze, saying the law had been “passed in haste.” The comments followed similar ones on Wednesday by Education Minister Naftali Bennett of the religious nationalist Jewish Home party. Bennett, who was a prominent advocate for the law, said he had now realized damage was done. Arab citizens, who make up 17.5 percent of Israel’s population of more than eight million, have also denounced the law.