E/CN.4/1992/52 page 140 Israel "1. Discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief constitutes an affront to human dignity and a disavowel of the principles upon which the State of Israel was founded. Such discrimination is condemned by the courts of Israel as a violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence, in the Laws of the legislative and in the common law of the State of Israel. 2. The State of Israel has taken measures in order to prevent discrimination and intolerance on the basis of religion or belief. As mentioned above, the Penal Law: Offences Against Sentiments of Religion and Tradition, section 170-174 provides a strong deterrent against acts of religious intolerance. The law renders it a criminal offence to destroy, damage or defile any place of worship or any object which is held sacred by a group of persons with the intention of reviling the religion of any group of persons (sect. 170), disturbing worship (sect. 171); trespassing on places of worship or burial, or disturbances to funeral ceremonies (sect. 172). Additionally, the law makes it a criminal offence to publish anything in ... or give by speech anything calculated to outrage the religious feelings or beliefs of other persons (sect. 173). 3. The Israeli prohibition against discrimination on the basis of religion and conscience in the Jewish State is well illustrated in matters of employment. The Employment Service Law 5719-1959 (L.S.I, vol. 13, p. 258) states as follows: 'In sending to work, the Labour exchange shall not discriminate against a person on account of his age, sex, race, religion or ethnic group, country of origin, views or party affiliation, and a person requiring an employee shall not refuse to engage a person for work on account of any of these.' 4. Furthermore, the Hours of Work and Rest Law 5711-1951 (L.S.I, vol. 5, p. 125) provides: 'Sabbath and Jewish festivals ... shall be the established days of rest in the State of Israel. Non-Jews shall have the right to observe days of rest on their Sabbath and Holy Days. The weekly rest shall include: . in the case of a Jew, the Sabbath day; . in the case of a person other than a Jew, the Sabbath day or Sunday or Friday, whichever is acceptable for him and his weekly day of rest ' . 5. states : The Proposed Basic Law: The Fundamental Rights of Man, Article 2,