The Knesset on Wednesday, 6 Menachem Av, voted to approve an initiative sponsored by MK Moshe Gafne for affirmative action for the chareidi sector. 85 MKs voted in favor of Gafne’s bill after he explained to date, nothing has been done to address the discrimination in the chareidi sector. No one voted against the bill.

The bill addressed guaranteeing fair proportionate representative of minority communities in the public sector, compelling preferential treatment for chareidim towards bringing more chareidim into the public sector workplace including the directorate of government companies.

Gafne explained to fellow lawmakers the bill also refers to female chareidim, not just men. “The government to date hasn’t done a thing to bring chareidim into the workplace. Each time I presented the bill it was pushed off. This time we are taking it seriously” Gafne stated.

Gafne explained that chareidim are genuinely interested in entering the workforce but they are blocked by the state. “I am not speaking about chareidim who learn fulltime, those who protect the Jewish People and struggle to be able to continue learning but I am speaking about those, and there are many, who wish to enter the workplace and we are fighting so they can do just that”.

Yesh Atid party leader MK Yair Lapid prior to the vote wrote “Gafne still does not believe me that I and the Yesh Atid party will vote in favor of the law to bring chareidim into the public sector…In a few moments you will see”. Yesh Atid did back the vote.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)