The coalition decided on Monday afternoon to remove the Religious Councils Law, known as the Rabbis Bill 2 from the agenda, due to the opposition of the Otzma Yehudit party, headed by Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir.
Minister Ben Gvir expressed his opposition following his demand to join the War Management Forum, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused.
In response and as a sanction of Otzma Yehudit, the coalition decided that none of the party's bills would be put to a vote today.
Earlier today, sources close to Minister Ben Gvir said: "The political-security cabinet? They don't show anything there. You read the online news and find out more than what is shown there.”
Arutz Sheva – Israel National News learned that those who are vetoing and opposing Ben Gvir's inclusion in the War Management Forum are Minister Yoav Gallant and Shas MK Aryeh Deri. The two felt that there was progress in the talks between Netanyahu and Ben Gvir and then cast the veto. Gallant even claimed that setting up a limited forum with Minister Ben Gvir could sabotage any deal for the release of the hostages.
Otzma Yehudit has already announced that they have no intention of stopping the promotion of coalition laws, except for the Shas Rabbis Bill. In the end, our demand is substantive: against the influence of the war and against an unrestrained agreement. Likud has waged a war on our laws, on the grounds that we are suspending their laws and threatening to block the law on toughening punishment for minors. But this is not true.”
"The demand does not pertain to laws against laws, but against the Shas Law that would give jobs to those who are unworthy. The public is right-wing. They want to see Ben Gvir in the limited forum. Likud supporters would also be happy to see Itamar Ben Gvir sitting there, hence our demand," the party said.