Turkey condemns Israel for controversial 'Jewish state' law

Ankara, July 20 (IANS) Turkey has condemned Israel for passing a new law that proclaims Israel as a "Jewish nation-state".

The law adopted by Israeli parliament disregards the norms of universal law and the rights of Palestinian Israeli citizens, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The law's declaration of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital city is null and void in the eyes of the international community, the ministry added.

The ministry also called on the international community to respond to the law that eliminates the vision of a two-state solution.

The controversial law, supported by the right-wing government, passed by 62 votes in favour and 55 votes against after discussions that lasted until early Thursday morning.

The law defines Israel as an "exclusively Jewish state," stating that only Jews have the right of self-determination in Israel and revokes the status of Arabic as an official language.

Arabs represent about 20 per cent of Israel's 9 million population.