MK Michal Woldiger (Religious Zionist Party) submitted a bill on Sunday aimed at revoking state benefits and allowances granted to families involved in polygamous marriages.
The legislative move comes days after a special session of the Labor and Welfare Committee, initiated by Woldiger, examined government efforts to address the phenomenon and improve coordination between authorities.
During the committee hearing, officials presented data indicating that there are 7,159 suspected cases of polygamy in Israel, with many of these cases involving the receipt of state benefits for more than one spouse.
Estimates presented to committee members suggest that approximately 16,000 women are living in polygamous marriages, with a combined total of around 83,000 children. The data also showed that more than 2,400 of these women are not Israeli citizens, having entered the country through family reunification procedures or while residing illegally.
In Bedouin communities, the committee was informed that 625 women who are not the sole wife of the deceased receive survivor’s pensions for the same person. In hundreds of additional cases, benefit supplements are reportedly being paid for second and even third spouses.
During the discussion, lawmakers and officials criticized the low number of indictments filed for polygamy offenses over the years, noting that while the state prohibits the practice under criminal law, it continues to provide financial benefits connected to such family structures.
Under Woldiger’s proposed legislation, individuals would no longer be eligible for benefits or supplements granted based on a spouse’s status if, at the time of the insured person’s death, another spouse also existed.
The bill would also cancel spouse-related supplements in cases of multiple marriages and close existing loopholes that allow families in polygamous arrangements to receive birth grants and other state benefits.
The explanatory notes attached to the bill state that its purpose is to prevent a situation in which the state effectively encourages or finances a practice that is prohibited under Israeli law.
"The current situation is absurd," Woldiger said. "On one hand, the State of Israel defines polygamy as a criminal offense, while on the other hand, it continues to transfer benefits and allowances that stem from the very same prohibited family structure. It is impossible to fight the phenomenon with one hand and support it with the other."
"The discussion in the Labor and Welfare Committee revealed a troubling picture of mechanisms that allow this phenomenon to continue for years. This bill does not harm children and does not remove basic rights; rather, it eliminates the economic incentive provided by the state to those who choose to act contrary to the law. If we truly want to fight polygamy, we must stop funding it."