A clash erupted in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation after the proposed “Who Is a Jew" bill was removed from the agenda under the direct instructions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs.
The decision to halt the bill’s advancement sparked strong resentment among several ministers. Fuchs opened the discussion by explaining the sensitivity of the timing. According to him, the Prime Minister believes that during wartime it is inappropriate to raise such a volatile issue, one that could damage relations with Diaspora Jewry and create unnecessary internal divisions.
Fuchs stressed that Netanyahu wishes to postpone discussion of the matter to a later date in order to preserve national unity.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin expressed support for the Prime Minister’s position, although he noted that he supports the legislation in principle. Levin explained that the delay would only last one month and that he was unwilling to act against Netanyahu’s position on such a sensitive issue.
In contrast, Ben Gvir sharply criticized the postponement, arguing that the current coalition has a unique makeup that would allow the law to pass without delay.
“This is a mistake," Ben Gvir declared. “Right now we have a rare opportunity, and most of the coalition supports it. We just keep postponing and postponing."
Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman also joined Ben Gvir’s position, expressing support for advancing the legislation despite the security sensitivities surrounding the issue.