Israel's Knesset (parliament) on Monday approved in a second and third reading a new bill stating that advocating, supporting, or rallying for either Nazi or racist principles will now be deemed illegal in Israel.
According to local daily Yedioth Ahronoth, the newly approved bill also states that holding Neo-Nazi rallies in Israel will be considered a criminal offense.
The bill was first proposed by member of Knesset Moshe Gafni, who had initially wanted to include only Nazi ideology in the bill, but later expanded it to include all racist principles.
"Israel never outlawed Nazi rallies, because no one in their darkest, wildest dreams imagined that this would be a necessary course of action. Lately, however, we have seen a surge in such Neo-Nazi gatherings, and so this legislation became necessary," Gafni was quoted by Yedioth Ahronoth as saying.
Gafni said he included the whole notion of racism in the bill because the Knesset Constitutional Committee felt this would send a very powerful message, especially because Israel has signed several international conventions on this matter.
Source: Xinhua
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