The New Nationality Law and Israel’s Constitutional Framework

Golda sat among the Jewish leaders—twenty-three men and one other woman who would sign the document that day. Wearing an unaccustomed tie and jacket, David Ben-Gurion rapped his gavel sharply as the clock struck four. The stillness became absolute. That was the moment when the orchestra in the gallery was scheduled to play the national anthem, but they, too, must have been mesmerized by the magic of the moment because nothing happened. Almost spontaneously, the entire audience stood up to sing “Hatikvah” with the words, “To be in a free nation in our own land. . .” They sang with ful