The Knesset's powerful Finance Committee has denied a bid by a Christian missionary group in Israel to receive tax-exempt status.
MKs Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism) and Yinon Azulai (Shas) led opposition in the Knesset Finance Committee to the missionary group's request, with the committee issuing a temporarily rejection to the missionary group's appeal. A permanent decision is expected shortly.
The committee reached its decision after being presented with clear evidence that the group in question preached to minors, in violation of the law.
During the proceedings, in an affront to decency, representatives of the Justice Ministry and the Tax Authority argued on behalf of granting the missionaries tax-exempt status, on the grounds that they had agreed to stop preaching to minors.
Gafni fired back at the government representatives that just because the missionaries had stopped their illegal activity – preaching to minors is a violation of Clause 368a in the criminal code – was no reason to reward them with tax benefits. "It is like saying we should acquit a thief at his trial because he promised to stop stealing, when he is still deserving to be punished for the crimes he already violated," he said.
Azulai said that despite the claim of the missionaries that they had removed some of their advertisements aimed at minors, he had in his possession new materials clearly showing that nothing had changed and that they were continuing to target youngsters.
The anti-assimilation group Yad L'Achim, which has been monitoring the case and been providing the committee with definitive proof of the missionaries' activities, expressed hope that the High Court would not overturn the decision of the Knesset panel, as it did half a year ago.
At that time, Gafni, as head of the Knesset Finance Committee, managed to convince all of its members, including those belonging to Yesh Atid, Yisrael Beytenu and the Arab parties, to deny the missionaries other types of tax benefits, but the High Court scandalously overturned the decision.
Yad L'Achim praised the MKs on the committee, saying in a statement Sunday: "It is inconceivable that missionaries who act to convert Jews out of their religion should receive tax benefits worth millions of shekels at the expense of the taxpayer."