"A Jewish democratic state" : Phrase is contradiction in terms

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/372249_ltrs27.htmlPhrase is contradiction in terms Joel Connelly's July 18 column extolling the views of right-wing Israeli politician Natan Sharansky contains the curious phrase "a Jewish democratic state." Isn't that a contradiction in terms? Isn't a democracy supposed to be open to all its citizens? What then is the situation for the 1.5 million Palestinian Arabs who are citizens of Israel? Second-class citizenship, unfortunately. Imagine the reaction here if someone defined our country as a Christian democratic state. A true democracy isn't exclusive to one ethnic group or religion. No wonder Sharansky is an advocate of "identity politics." Merely by being Jewish, he was entitled to emigrate to Israel, claim a home, become a leader of Israel Be'aliya and join the Likud coalition that... [read full story]