MK Tamar Zandberg
MK Tamar ZandbergFlash 90

Opposition MK Tamar Zandberg (Meretz) on Wednesday announced she would fight the law forbidding public showing of chametz (leavened products) during the Pesach (Passover) holiday.

The new proposal would cancel the existing law and allow the public display of chametz during Pesach.

It will be proposed immediately following the end of the holiday.

Zandberg claims the current law, which was made in the 1980s, has no place in a democratic country.

"Israel is not a country of Jewish law," Zandberg said. "Whoever wants to avoid buying and eating chametz can do so, but there is no need to make it a law. That's not what Israeli law was meant for.

"Whoever wants to avoid eating chametz on Pesach can do so, did so successfully before the current law was made in 1986, and will continue to do so if the law is canceled.

"This law is dead, and in the past few years people have tried and failed to revive it.

"This law is part of an effort by religious minority extremists to dictate what Israeli society should be like. It's a law of religious coercion, created because of a power struggle. The law is not in keeping with Jewish custom.

"The decision whether or not to eat chametz on Pesach is a personal one, and the law has no business getting involved in the issue or sanctioning those who violate the law."

If Zandberg's proposal is passed, it would seriously hurt Israel's Jewish character.

Chametz is not allowed to be eaten, sold, or even seen during the Pesach holiday. Since Israel is a Jewish country, enforcing the Jewish law and custom is logical and legitimate.

Zandberg's proposal is an attempt to change Israel from a Jewish democratic country to a democratic country with many Jews.