Israel revises constitution

JERUSALEM, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Israel's revised version of the Law of the Return sent to the Knesset is to include a clause entitling anyone who belongs to a Jewish community to immigrate.

The clause will replace the "grandchild clause," which entitles all grandchildren of Jews to immigrate to Israel, Haaretz reported Monday.

The revision is to be presented with a draft of Israel's constitution that forestalls an argument over who qualifies as a Jew by including a general statement that "every Jew" is entitled to immigrate, Haaretz reported.

The proposed preamble to the constitution, being prepared by the Knesset Constitution Committee, includes no mention of equality -- the subject of intense debate between religious and secular parties, Haaretz reported.

Most members of the draft committee want to define Israel as a "Jewish state" while the most conservative members of the Knesset demand Israel be defined as "state of the Jewish nation," Haaretz reported.

A vote on the proposals isn't expected for months.