Rabbi David Stav of the Tzohar rabbinic organization has attacked Interior Minister Aryeh Deri's plan to ensure that the State retains full control over conversions to Judaism.
"The State's conversion process has collapsed - it has been handed over to haredi activists who are not interested in having conversions happen," Stav alleged. "The problem gets worse every year, with the number of approved conversions declining and the number of non-Jews increasing, and the problem will now get even worse with the expected increase in immigration."
Rabbi Stav added that, "The problem will only be solved if conversions are handled by local rabbis. Just like in any other area, a monopoly is a destructive influence."