Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Says Israel Is A State 'Only Of The Jewish People'

Facing three corruption cases and a looming election, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday appeared to invoke nationalism in an Instagram post. Netanyahu wrote that while all citizens have equal rights, "Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people, and of it alone."

The comments came in response to Rotem Sela, an Israeli-born model and television host, who defended the rights of Arab citizens in Israel.

Netanyahu specifically cited a nationality law that was passed in 2018 that downgraded Arabic from an official language to a "special status" language, making Hebrew the only official language. The law also stated that the capital of Israel is an undivided Jerusalem.

In response, "Wonder Woman" star Gal Gadot jumped to Sela’s defense.

"Love thy neighbor as yourself. This isn’t an issue of right or left. Jew or Arab. Secular or religious. It’s an issue of dialogue," Gadot wrote to her more than 28 million followers on Instagram. "Rotem, my sister, you’re an inspiration to us all."

Israel's election will take place on April 9. The current Likud administration is expected to face a tough challenge from centrist candidates Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid. There was also a recent change by the Israel election committee to block an Arab party candidate and left-wing candidate from running.

Israeli Arabs account for roughly 20 percent of the country's population.

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit on Feb. 28 announced plans to indict Netanyahu on bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges. In response, Gantz has called on Netanyahu to resign.

Many believe Netanyahu, who is seeking a fourth consecutive term, could win a tight election over Gantz because of the incumbent's strong support from a loyal conservative base.