Chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, MK Simcha Rothman participated Monday morning in the General Assembly event by the Jewish Federations.
On the panel with Rothman were Prof. Yohanan Plesner, Avi Mayer and Alex Reif, discussing the definition of the Jewish identity and the "grandchild clause" in the Law of Return.
Rothman said that there are those who are trying to create a division between Israel and the Jewish Diaspora. The "grandchild clause" will in no way affect immigration from the U.S., Rothman claimed.
Despite claims to the contrary, Rothman continued, the "grandchild clause" was never an integral part of the Law of Return and was added to it in the 1970s after a controversial judicial decision on the subject.
"We understand that amending the Law of Return has a symbolic significance and might create tension with the Jewish Diaspora. However this tension can be solved by way of dialogue, which is why I came to speak in the event today."
In response to the attempt by protest organizations to disrupt the panel, Rothman said: "Protests and demonstrations are the bedrock of democracy, but their purpose is to sound the voices of those who are not heard, not to silence the voices of the majority of Israeli voters, represented by 64 seats in the Knesset."