Ramallah: An Israeli parliamentary committee has quietly approved legislation prescribing a jail term for anyone who dissuades Palestinian Christian citizens from voluntary Israeli military service, or advocates desertion.

The Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee unanimously voted for a legislation prescribing a jail term of three to 15 years for violators, allegedly reneging on an agreement not to discuss the matter while Palestinian members of the legislature were on leave.

While the Palestinian members of the Israeli Knesset were all absent for the Eid Al Fitr vacation, and despite unequivocal promises to them to not discuss the bill during the holiday, Jewish lawmakers debated and unanimously voted for second and third readings.

Israel has lately been encouraging enlistment of Christian Palestinians in its army. The regime, which largely classifies its citizens according to religious affiliation, divides its indigenous Palestinian population as “Arab”, Druze, and Bedouin, but politicians have floated the idea of carving out a new label for Christian Palestinians, who fall under the “Arab” category that also includes Muslim Palestinians. Under the regime’s laws, most Jewish citizens are required to serve in the army, while Palestinian citizens can do so on a voluntary basis.

Palestinian citizens have decried the move as an attempt to divide the native population, which represents approximately 20 per cent of the population.

In a harshly worded statement, the Joint Arab List in the Knesset said all Palestinian lawmakers had been promised the bill would not be discussed during the holiday.

Shadi Halul, the head of the Christian IDF Officer’s Forum and a fierce supporter of Christian Palestinians serving in the occupation forces, was quoted by the Israeli daily Haaretz as saying: “We need this bill to protect the soldiers.”

The Joint Arab List harshly criticised the bill arguing that it would violate the freedom of speech. “The new bill comes amid an ongoing debate [inside the Green Line] on whether the Christian Arabs should volunteer for the occupation military service and therefore freedom of speech would ultimately be violated,” said the statement.

“Every one has the right to express their opinion, especially in view of the disagreement in the Christian community on joining the Israeli army,” said Osama Saadia, a Palestinian lawmaker and member of the Joint Arab List. “The fact that they held the discussion despite the agreement not to do so is suspicious and inappropriate,” he was quoted by the Haaretz as saying.

“On a day when many important debates were cancelled because of the Eid Al Fitr holiday, the Knesset’s committee held a meeting with Jewish lawmakers only and unanimously approved a bill that seriously violates Palestinian citizens’ freedom of speech,” said Nirit Moskovich, of the Social Guard NGO. Yoav Kisch, a lawmaker from the ruling Likud party and who proposed the legislation said it was meant to fight incitement against Christian soldiers, who are not required to enlist and unite people.

Priest Gabriel Naddaf, who vocally supports Christian Arabs serving in the Israeli occupation army and founder of the Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum, demanded this legislation to be approved making all types of incitement (including even addressing this issue) against Christian recruits punishable to pave the way to increase the Christian recruits.