The language has triggered charges of racism from Arab lawmakers who see it as undermining the rights of the country's Arab minority.

It has also stoked tensions with Palestinians at a time when fledgling peace talks are deadlocked over Israel's refusal to extend a moratorium on new building in West Bank Jewish settlements.

The bill is backed by Yisrael Beitenu, a hard-line nationalist party whose leader, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, has been a vocal critic of Israel's settlement slowdown. Sunday's vote may be a way to soften Lieberman's opposition to extending the slowdown, though officials have denied there is any connection.

It must still win the approval of parliament before becoming law.

 There is a whiff of fascism on the margins of Israeli society 

Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog

A left-leaning Israeli minister had warned that if passing the bill would lead to a "whiff of fascism."

"There is a whiff of fascism on the margins of Israeli society," Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog of the left-leaning Labor party told army radio.
"The overall picture is very disturbing and threatens the democratic character of the state of Israel," he said.

"There have been a tsunami of measures that limit rights... I see it in the halls of the Knesset (parliament), in the commissions and departments responsible for legislation. We will pay a heavy price for this."

The loyalty oath bill has been strongly criticized within Israel's Arab community, which makes up around 20 percent of the population, as targeting Palestinians looking to gain citizenship after marrying Israeli citizens.

Others have said the bill, which is supported by Netanyahu, would have little real effect and is probably a trade-off for the right wing if it supports an extension to a moratorium on Jewish settlements.

The ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party of Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman campaigned in last year's election for a tougher version of the pledge which would apply to Arabs born in Israel and include a promise to serve in the military or perform other national service.

Yisrael Beitenu is the second largest member of the governing coalition after Netanyahu's Likud party.

Many cabinet members oppose extending the settlements freeze, even though such a move could salvage U.S.-backed direct peace talks with the Palestinians that resumed early last month.

A 10-month moratorium on new settlement building in the occupied West Bank expired on September 26 and Israel has so far refused to renew it, prompting Palestinian threats to abandon the peace talks.