The reaction from the opposition to the passing of the first reading of the Governance Bill was possibly unprecedented, as Arab and chareidi MKs became close allies against the coalition. The bill is presented by MK (Yisrael Beitenu) David Rotem as an amendment to the Basic Law. The first part of the bill addresses placing a ceiling on the number of cabinet ministers and deputy ministers to 19 and 4 respectively. That passed in a 63-46 vote.
The second part of the bill addresses raising the minimum threshold for a party to enter Knesset from 2% to 4%. That too passed in a 63-46 vote. Wishing to guarantee a solid majority, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, who was heading the diplomatic talks with the PA (Palestinian Authority) in Washington was flown home, and Likud MK Tzachi Hanegbi, who was in Europe for a soccer match on his vacation was instructed to head home to vote. There were others instructed to return as well, making the vote an expensive one too. It was another marathon session, ending at 03:22 Thursday morning, 25 Menachem Av 5773.
Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein abstained in the vote as did former speaker Reuven Rivlin and Yesh Atid MK Dr. Adi Kol. Kol was the recipient of party leader Yair Lapid’s wrath for not supporting the first part of the bill. As a result of her insubordination she was suspended from her inclusion in Knesset committees and prohibited from presenting bills until further notice, despite the fact that her vote was not critical for the bill to pass.
For Lapid, one is not permitted to vote’s one’s conscience but one must tow the party line. Lapid told his faction members that he will not tolerate anyone breaking ranks.
Another component of the bill addresses no-confidence motions in Knesset, limiting them to once monthly in the presence of the prime minister or at the behest of a minimum of 61 MKs, in which case, a debate will be held immediately.
If the motion of no-confidence is passed by 61 MKs, and there is an alternate candidate for prime minister, a candidate that is accepted, that person will have 21 days to form a coalition government instead of the usual 28 days. If that candidate fails in forming a coalition, the cabinet that was defeated in the no-confidence motion returns to office.
And yet another component addresses the state budget, placing a deadline on the Knesset passing it, 90 days. If the Knesset fails to pass a state budget within 90 days, the Knesset will be dissolved and general elections held. Following those elections, the government receives 55 days to pass a budget. The Knesset will have 45 days to pass the budget.
The responses were colorful as Meretz leader MK Zahava Gal-On wept on the podium. The accused the coalition of passing a bill that promotes racism, for she is aware that her party along with Arab parties may not pass the new minimum threshold.
While MK (Yahadut Hatorah Rav Yisrael Eichler stated the bill is “anti-Jewish and anti-democratic,” Yisrael Beitenu leader MK Avigdor Lieberman stated that this bill is exactly what is required to preserve Israel’s democracy, adding the bill will “save our democracy from those who don’t take an interest in the state’s future. Eichler called for and observed a minute of silence from the podium, as did some of the Arab MKs when their turn to speak arrived. MK Dr. Ahmed Tibi turned his back on his parliamentary colleagues. MK Jamal Zahalka taped his mouth closed at the podium after he told the Knesset the coalition is trying to silence the Arab vote, adding “it won’t work for we will take to the streets and our voices will be heard”.
Hadash MK Dov Khenin accused the coalition of working to “politically transfer the Arabs” with the bill.
MK (Yahadut Hatorah) Rav Moshe Gafne had his say too, telling Lieberman that he and the chareidi community don’t have a problem since the chareidim continue to grow. He told Lieberman that ultimately, the chareidim will be in while his party, Yisrael Beitenu, will find itself outside the Knesset.
With the votes the Knesset ended the summer session and elected officials are now on summer vacation. The winter session begins on 8 Cheshvan 5774 following the Tishrei Yomim Tovim.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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14 Responses
The minimum faction will probably be five members.
The hareidi parties wound’t be affected all that much. It would mean that Agudath Israel and Degel ha-Torah would have to stay “married” as “Yahadut ha-Torah”, but they would normally do that regardless. Shas is well above the new threshhold. It would make it harder for a new faction to start.
The badly splintered religious zionists will be affected, but perhaps for the better as the law will encourage them to unite. Probably the small factions that had a chance with a 1% or 2% threshold will give up and become factions of larger parties.
The Arabs have a problem since there are three Arab parties (the Islamic conservatives, the secular Arabs, and the mixed Arab-Jewish Communists).
May Chareidi and Arabs become closer on many other subjects in our fight against the tziyonim.
Zalman: It is despicable to even think of allying oneself with our mortal enemies. If you do that, you become a “rodef”.
rabbiofberlin : The Arabs are hardly “mortal enemies.” Of the three Arabs parties in the kenesset, two would clearly prefer to live under zionists than under Islamicists. And the party that would be able to tolerate an Islamic regime, happen to agree with us a most social issues (such as “toeiva” discussed in a different article today).
The Religious Zionists are also big losers under the new arrangements, unless they manage to unite
As for allying with the Muslims, remember that if the alternative is a secular state that actively persecutes Shomer Shabbos Jews (e.g. bans religious accomodations in employment and public services, mandates secular schooling, takes children away from religious parents “in the best interests of the child”, etc.), there will be no alternative to allying with the Muslims for those of us who put Torah ahead of any secular values.
reformerofberlin: The Arab MKs in the Kenesset are NOT our mortal enemies despite your zionist-inspired Arab-hatred would lead you to believe.
What do you expect? Both the chareidi and the Arab parties
– hate work
– hate freedom
– hate Israel
so no wonder they get along so well! In fact, they might as well run on a joint list for the next Knesset!
berlin “rabbi”
it seems like the tziyonim want to take the place of “our mortal enemies”
Somebody please tell me this is a Purim shpiel. Chareidi political kurvas with Arab backstabbers.
There are always ‘dreamers’ who see the Arabs as allies, secularists, protectors of freedoms, advocators of similar rights and religious issues, this is ALL BALONEY..
Herschel Krustofsky :
People who hate work, don’t. One doesn’t see people sitting around street corners trying to pass the time. Among hareidim everyone is fully emnployed – only instead of doing something like teaching in the Technion or playing a flute in the symphony, they do things like learning Torah. The leading economic problem for both Hareidim and Arabs is discirmination by the zionist ruling class – not wilful unemployment.
If they didn’t love Israel, they would leave. Anyone who can argue they are being persecuted has an easy time moving between countries. The world has changed since the 1930s, for the better. The many ex-Israelis (Jewish and Arabs) in America attests to this.
Like most people, hareidim love the freedom to govern their own lives and not be told what to do. I haven’t seen them demanding the hiloni wear more clothes, or teach gemara in their schools, or close down their pervse things we can’t mention. THe modern frum sometime try to influence the medinah – the hareidim just want the freedom to live their lives in peace.
A plague on both their houses….those who post here regularly with vile and hatred for “tziyonim” are themselves likely to find a world of hurt in their version of olam haboh
The words of apukerma ,zalman,coffee addcit and others: You will never, ever persuade any sane person with your extremist views. You will always remain a minority of a minority ,even amongst chareidim, if you continue this laughable, fantasmagoric and dangerous idea that we are better off with Arabs ruling our lives. Hashem ismereinu for msuch an event!
Berlin “Rabbi”
we acted B’kavodik to you, nit calling you insane and answering your view, you can disagree if you so choose to, however calling names is inappropriate of a “rabbi” (more so of “berlin” though
One is trying to kill the “guf” one is trying to kill the neshoma