An emergency meeting was called this afternoon (Wednesday) of the main of the Religious-Zionist rabbis to discuss answering to the call of Chief Rabbi Yosef Yitzhak in his request of Netanyahu to block the vote on the proposed new conversion bill, and put a halt to the growing rift and lack of unity within Israel.
The results of the meeting was the decision to leave the coalition should the new bill, in fact, be approved. "Just as Hatnua is threatening to leave the Coalition if they don't get their way, so we will leave the Coalition if the legislation moves forward," Rabbi Dov Lior announced.
"The responsibility to maintain the Jewish identity of the State of Israel is bigger than the desire for a bigger (political) party," said Rabbi Ariel Bareli, Chairman of the Trustees of the Chief Rabbinate. "The Chief Rabbinate represents official Judaism, and must not be damaged in any way," he added.