On 7 May 2017, the Israeli Government set in motion the passage of the nation-state bill, with the first stage of votes having begun on 10 May 2017. The bill states that ‘the right to the realisation of national self-determination in the state of Israel is unique to the Jewish people'.

The bill deepens and legalises systematic discrimination by stripping the Arabic language of its official status, by allowing segregation in building and planning, and by requiring the Supreme Court to give priority/defer to the Jewish character of the state in cases of ambiguity.

In view of the importance of protecting the inalienable rights of the Arab Palestinian minority and other minorities in line with the fundamental EU values and principles, of Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, and of the EU-Israel Action Plan:

What is the VP/HR's opinion of this law, which institutionalises discrimination on the basis of nationality, ethnicity and religion? How will the European External Action Service respond to these events?