This effort has been spearheaded by leading members of the Rabbinate who fear the consequences of the ever increasing proportion of non-Jews in Israeli society. Paradoxically, proponents of secularism have endorsed this proposal. Yossi Beilin, for example, has suggested that only non-Jews who convert to Judaism be accepted as new immigrants. Ironically, the only country faced with a similar public debate is Germany. Only the Federal Republic has a law of return comparable to that of the State of Israel.
German law provides for the free immigration of all who can prove that they are of German blood.
The present debate on the Law of Return represents yet another manifestation of the on-going process of reassessment of the traditional values of the Jewish State and its society. The world has accepted this for all Jews. The moment you start deciding which Jews can come here, therefore, you are undermining the State's foundation. The fate of the Law of Return will have a significant impact on the contours of Israeli society in the coming years. To a great extent it will also determine the role of Zionism in the lives of Israelis.