The Knesset’s Arrangements Committee is debating whether to transfer discussions on the vote on the Citizenship Law to the temporary Foreign Affairs and Defense committee, but in any case, no vote on the Law is expected at the present moment, due to the intentions of MKs from both the United Arab List and the Joint List to vote against it.
Coalition MKs have withdrawn their request to discuss the issue, and opposition MKs expressed their anger at the decision of the interim head of the committee, MK Eytan Ginzburg, not to bring the issue to a vote, shouting, “Cowards!” at the committee meeting.
The new government is still attempting to craft a creative solution to the controversial Citizenship Law that will enable it to bring the Law to a vote within the coming days. There is still just over a week left to extend the ban on family reunifications before the current version of the temporary law expires next Tuesday.
During the committee’s discussion, arguments broke out between various committee members.
“Give your face mask to Walid Taha,” Religious Zionist MK Itamar Ben Gvir told Meretz MK Michal Rozin at one point during the proceedings.
Taha responded, “You piece of garbage, go to hell. Don’t you dare mention my name. Shut your mouth.”
“You’re a terrorist,” Ben Gvir replied. “Get out of here. We have terrorists sitting in the Israeli Knesset!”
In addition, MK May Golan (Likud) was removed from the discussion after shouting at MK Gaby Lasky (Meretz), “What are you doing here – you, who persecutes Jews? You represent terrorists and murderers with blood on their hands.”