Israel’s Declaration of Independence: A secular sacred text, not a legal weapon

The article argues against incorporating Israel's Declaration of Independence into a future constitution as a legal instrument. While acknowledging its significance as a unifying "secular sacred text" and a "capsule of distilled Israeli DNA," the author contends that transforming it into a legal weapon for determining rights would diminish its value as a shared identity asset.

• The author highlights that the declaration's strength lies in its ability to forge shared identity and provide a common sense of belonging, rather than serving as a tool for judicial rulings with winners and losers.
• Recent events, such as a lawyer challenging the declaration's importance during a Supreme Court hearing and a justice using it as a basis for judicial review, illustrate the risks of this transformation.
• The article warns that well-intentioned efforts to elevate the declaration's status legally could paradoxically destroy its unifying cultural value, urging resistance to placing it in the legal arena.