מליאת הכנסת
מליאת הכנסתצילום: Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90

A fierce debate erupted within the coalition government Wednesday over an upcoming vote on a bill to significantly expand access to medicinal marijuana in Israel.

The bill, drafted by New Hope MK Sharren Haskel, would broadly decriminalize ownership of cannabis when it is intended for one’s own use for medicinal purposes.

While the coalition largely backs the legislation, the United Arab List has thus far refused to agree to support the bill, forcing the government to push off the preliminary vote in the Knesset plenum.

Arutz Sheva has been informed that the government’s failure to win backing for the bill led to a fiery debate during a recent meeting of coalition leaders, with Knesset Speaker Idit Silman (Yamina) blasting plans to bring the bill to a vote without ensuring its passage in the Knesset – citing the recent failure of the government to pass the Citizenship Law.

“There is a limit to how much we can take. Things will fall apart if we don’t know how to compromise. I’m not prepared to bring a bill up for a vote that is liable to get voted down.”

Silman’s comments provoked an outcry from a number of coalition partners.

MK Evgeny Sova (Yisrael Beytenu) said that if the government’s behavior “continues like this, we’ll go to elections.”

MK Michal Rozin (Meretz) vowed that her party would no longer back the Citizenship Law in its present form.

“You’re trying to bring back the Citizenship Law, but we won’t back it unless it is changed. And if things continue like this, the whole thing is liable to come apart.”