Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed this morning (Sunday) the Cabinet Secretary to cancel the meeting of the Ministerial Committee for Legislation that had been scheduled to convene today, amid a dispute over MK Avi Maoz’s Holy Places bill.
The bill was submitted following last week’s Supreme Court ruling regarding the status of the “Ezrat Yisrael" plaza, the Reform prayer section.
The proposed amendment stipulates that the authority to determine prayer arrangements in all parts of the Western Wall, including the southern area, will rest exclusively with the Chief Rabbinate of Israel or a body acting on its behalf.
Despite the cancellation of the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Yariv Levin clarified that he intends to support the bill. At present, coalition members have been granted freedom of vote on the issue.
In a sharply worded statement, Levin attacked the move: “Following my announcement on Thursday regarding my support for the Western Wall bill, I announced my decision to bring the bill to a vote in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation. Just minutes ago, I received notice from the Cabinet Secretariat about the cancellation of the committee meeting."
He added that in the absence of an official government position due to the committee’s cancellation, he will act independently. “In this situation, there is no government position, and therefore I intend to vote in favor of the bill in the plenum. I call on all Knesset members, and especially coalition members, to do so and to tell the Supreme Court: enough is enough."
Since this is a private member’s bill, it does not require approval by the ministerial committee in order to be brought to a vote. The bill is expected to be presented for preliminary reading in the Knesset plenum this coming Wednesday.