Loyal to a Fault

Israel is debating Foreign Minister and party chairman Avigdor Lieberman's proposed loyalty oath. This will require everyone in Israel to take an oath affirming:

I commit to being loyal to the State of Israel as a Jewish, democratic and Zionist state, to its symbols and values and to serve the country as needed through military service or an alternative service, as decided by law

Abe Foxman of the ADL seems to think that it is a good idea.

Abraham Foxman, the ADL's national director, noted with concern the trips by Arab Israeli Knesset members to enemy states and expressions of solidarity with Hamas by Israeli Arabs during Israel’s recent military operation in the Gaza Strip.

“There were a lot of people who said, 'Hey, that's disloyal,' ” Foxman told JTA. “That's what he's talking about. He's not saying expel them. He's not saying punish them.”

Lieberman, 50, has proposed requiring a loyalty oath as a condition of Israeli citizenship. Those who refuse -- Arab or Jewish -- would have their citizenship revoked, though they’d be permitted to remain in the country as permanent residents.

No word yet on when Foxman will be taking his oath to the US as a Christian, anti-imperialist nation. Not that anyone would punish him if he didn't - just take away his citizenship.

Seriously though, the spread of this sort of thing could solve a lot of inter religio-ethnic conflicts by separating competing parties. Not quite sure where the Mormons, atheists, and Scientologists would wind up though - we might have to create new countries for each of them - ideally somewhere the locals are poorly equipped to fight back. Africa? South America? Hey, how about Antarctica? Or they could just Seastead

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