A Bill to outlaw expressions of gnet or mourning on the anniversary of Israel's independence is unlikely, in the end, to get onto Israel's statute book. Even if it did, it would probably be struck down by the Supreme Court. Still, the bill's endorsement on May 24th by the cabinet committee on legislation sent a shudder through liberal circles in the Jewish state-and appalled Palestinians everywhere. For it was a sign that the anti-Arab campaign of the new foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, earlier this year was not just electoral hype.rn"This is a Zionist and patriotic bill," said Alex Miller, a parliamentarian in Mr Lieberman's party, who submitted it. Palestinian Israelis who mark Israel's independence day as their people's nakba (catastrophe) "exploit the democratic and enlightened character of the State of Israel in order to destroy it from within"-and would be punishable under the bill by up to three years in prison.
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