The Blue and White party is continuing to break coalition agreements in an exorbitant fashion by continuing to push for the Knesset to pass the equality law. The party is shaking off the Chareidi opposition to the change in the Basic Law, Israel’s closest thing to an amendment of a constitution, that could open the door to sweeping changes in Israeli society should it pass.

The law would amend Israel’s basic law of human rights and dignity and could be used to alter the existing status quo when it comes to legal issues surrounding religion and state, such, but not limited to, Chareidi enlistment in the IDF, recognition of Reform Judaism in Israel, recognition of civil marriages, and other high-level issues in the eyes of the Chareidi public.

The Blue and White party is pushing hard to have the bill passed before the Knesset disbands, as it is expected to on Tuesday night next week.

According to a recording that was publicized on Radio Kol Chai, MK Moshe Gafni reacted strongly against the Blue and White push to ratify the bill and turn it into law. “They are simply wild and uncivilized human beings. The equality law, that is what is most important right now? What we need right now is to split this country completely? They don’t get what life is like here. They simply don’t understand.”

The Chareidi parties are doing everything in their power to stop the bill from passing its first reading. The bill passed its preliminary reading, due to the absence of Likud MKs Gideon Sarr and Michal Shir from the plenum when the vote took place.

Chareidi politicians are hoping that, now that Sa’ar has been replaced by another Religious MK, and that a number of other MKs have returned to the Knesset after being in forced isolation due to Covid-19 exposure, the bill will fall in the plenum.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)