Israel's ruling party is seeking to pass a contentious law this week that could remove Arabic as a national language and permit Jewish-only communities, sparking uproar from critics who say it excludes the country's Arab minority. 

The 'nation state' law is backed by Likud, the party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and has sparked bitter divides within Israel's parliament, as well as fierce backlash abroad.

The government says the bill, which holds constitution-like status, merely enshrines into law the country's existing characteristics. But sections, including downgrading the Arabic language and promoting segregated communities, have drawn comparisons to South African apartheid and antisemitism in 1940s America.