For Israel to demand that the Palestinians recognize our state as Jewish is counterproductive. It supposedly erects a major hurdle before the PLO, which it staunchly refuses to overcome. Recognizing Israel as a Jewish state is actually insignificant to Palestinians. They have acceded to a non-Islamic state in what they think is Islamic land; whether that state is Jewish or Christian is of no theological or nationalistic importance. Moreover, the Palestinians can attach any number of strings or qualifications to the epithet: “a Jewish state if its majority so wishes to call it” or “a Jewish state as defined by UNSCOP.” Abbas already hinted at that approach when he proclaimed that the Palestinians are ready to call Israel by whatever name it chooses for itself.

In effect, Israel creates a straw man. Once the Palestinians agree to say the supposedly magic phrase, “Jewish state,” the world will see that as a major concession and demand that Israel reciprocate. Since Palestine, like every other Arab-populated country, is already officially called an “Arab state,” Israeli reciprocity would have to be tangible, something on the order of dismantling some settlements.

The very idea that Israel needs recognition from some Arabs in Palestine is insulting. They can call it “Falastyne,” but for us it is Judea and Samaria. Likewise, our state is Jewish regardless of what the Arabs call it. Khomeini called the United States “the Great Satan,” and Americans called Russia “the Evil Empire.” Who cares?

Such recognition on the part of the Palestinians cannot be binding. The United States fought Russia after the communist revolution, fought alongside Russia in WWII, and then engaged in the Cold War against Russia. Nations change their policies. What would Israel do if the Palestinian parliament rescinded its recognition of Israel’s Jewishness a week after proclaiming Palestinian independence?

What is this enigmatic Jewishness, anyway? Arab states officially define themselves as “Arab,” but also follow that declaration in practice. They ban land sales to non-Arabs, restrict new citizenship to Arabs only, and base their law on Sharia. They unite with other Arabs in the Arab League, support the pan-Arab cause of fighting Israel, and scream when other nations fight their fellow Arab regimes, however atrocious.

France is ardently French; the liberal beacon does not recognize any minorities or multiculturalism. France imposes its language on its minorities, enforces a uniform school curriculum (especially in history studies), fights imperial wars against its minorities’ homelands, bans Islamic dress in public places, and denies minorities demographic significance through immigration restrictions.

Spain is a Catalonian country which fights separatists and bans independence-seeking nationalist movements. Britain does not have to impose its language on the minorities who accept it for historical reasons; it lost Ireland to nationalists, however, and is now rapidly losing Scotland.

What is Jewish about Israel? The Arab language is officially on par with Hebrew. Religious Jews are repressed more than in any Western country; they are forbidden to pray at their holiest site. History curricula differ for Arab schools. Arab nationalist and Islamic movements are numerous and vociferous. Manifestations of Arab culture are ubiquitous. Arabs buy sensitive lands, including those developed with private Jewish donations. Arabs maintain strong ties with their Diaspora and openly identify with Israel’s enemies. Arabs are sufficiently numerous to affect the Israeli political process—including the military and foreign police—as when Rabin and Barak became prime ministers on Arab votes. Arabs refuse to assimilate into Israeli society, to the extent of mourning Independence Day.

Israelis accepted a minimalist definition of our state’s Jewishness as the rule of Jews. This is commonly understood as Jewish majority. But ultra-leftists, and even some anti-Zionist religious Jews, side with the Arabs, so the latter do not need to become a majority. In the fragmented Israeli political spectrum, 25-35% representation makes Arabs the largest coheresive bloc, capable of pushing through almost every decision.

This makes Israel unlike every other nation-state with minorities: her Arabs are too many, with too-strong ties to their ethnic kin abroad, and they cannot assimilate or even become loyal.

Whatever we force Abbas to pronounce, Israel cannot be a Jewish state while Arabs remain here.