Arab rights group petitions Israel’s Supreme Court against Jewish nation law

An Arab rights group in Israel has filed a petition with the Supreme Court against the new and controversial Jewish state law. Adalah, the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, said in a statement on Tuesday that the law “has distinct apartheid characteristics” and denies “civil and national rights of Palestinians in their homeland.” Adalah insists the legislation should be annulled, AP said. The law, passed by parliament last month, defines Israel as the Jewish nation-state and downgrades the Arabic language to a “special status.” Critics say it marginalizes the country’s Arab minority, while supporters say it ensures the Jewish character of the state for generations to come.