Michaeli
MichaeliFlash 90

The Knesset plenum today rejected in preliminary reading a bill by MK Merav Michaeli (Zionist Union) to allow civil marriage.

The bill proposes that the power to dissolve a marriage between spouses who are members of the same religious community and who were married in civil marriage be subject to the family courts.

MK Michaeli asked in the Knesset plenum: "Would it make sense for you to pass a law forcing all citizens to go to synagogue on Shabbat? Israeli law forces a person joined in a civil marriage to divorce in religious court.

"It's an absurd situation where the State of Israel recognizes civil marriage but doesn't provide the basic service of divorce. This religious coercion isn't done for halakhic reasons, but purely for reasons of political power, of holding all citizens captive to the rabbinic court. Political cynicism and power," Michael claimed.

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked responded on behalf of the government: "The bill seeks to create a substantive policy change and is contrary to coalition agreements. Since the proposal is not accepted by all coalition factions, the government objects."

Merav Michaeli
Merav MichaeliFlash 90