As the Bayit Yehudi and other parties feel there is no need for more than one Chief Rabbi of Israel, MK (Bayit Yehudi) Zevulun Kalfa is sponsoring a bill seeking to eliminate the costly office of President of Israel.

Kalfa feels that presidential duties are primarily ceremonial and these ceremonies can be handled without compromising their integrity by the Foreign Ministry, Knesset Speaker or other agencies.

“The time has come to say it loud and clear” Kalfa stated. “The president of the state is a ceremonial position, an unnecessary and costly post.” He feels the presidential duties can be handed over to other government agencies without difficulty. “The Knesset and the government are elected by the public and this additional authority is unnecessary.”

Kalfa is confident that eliminating the post of president will result in a savings of tens of millions of NIS annually, funds that can be used to assist the poor and needy of the nation.

A member of the Knesset Finance Committee reports the president cost the state 62 million NIS in 2012, pointing out the president’s budget has tripled in the past decade.

Kalfa explained that his motivation for the bill is the reality that the president too often feels free to interfere in governmental matters and this is a most unwanted and unhelpful trend that is also quite costly to taxpayers.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)