Minister of Heritage, Amichai Eliyahu of Otzma Yehudit, asked the Director General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Yehuda Avidan, to appoint his father, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, as Rabbi of the city of Jerusalem in exchange for removing Otzma Yehudit's opposition to the law of Shas and the Religious Zionist Party to change the way city rabbis are elected.
Otzma Yehudit strongly opposes the Shas law to change the election of city rabbis. The government will convene on Monday in an unusual manner to discuss an objection appeal filed by Otzma Yehudit against the approval of the law last week in the Ministerial Committee on Legislation.
Additional power to the Minister of Religious Affairs
Minister Amichai Eliyahu wrote on Facebook today: "The Israeli government will convene today for a special meeting, which is not ordinary. Not to fight terrorism. Not to beat anarchy. Not to advance reform. Not to discuss police violence against settlers. It is not for nothing to discuss administrative detention. Not even for the economy. Not. Just to change the rules of the game of rabbinical elections. We probably have more to fix inside the house as well."
Ministers Ofir Akunis and Amichai Eliyahu at the start of the Cabinet meeting | Bentzi Rubin
Senior Shas officials familiar with the details confirmed the report and told Israel Hayom: "Otzma Yehudit people tried to negotiate the election of city rabbis, they also wanted to influence the choice of the chief rabbi that would be done by agreement, all these proposals were rejected on the page - there will be no negotiations on the election of rabbis."
The bill in question, which is opposed by Otzma Yehudit, effectively weakens the influence of the local authority in the electoral body of the city's rabbi and will give additional power to the Minister of Religious Affairs and representatives on his behalf, as well as to representatives of the Chief Rabbinical Council in the appointment of those city rabbis.
Director General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Yehuda Avidan, declined to respond to Israel Hayom's request on the matter. Minister Eliyahu said in response: "Things never happened. The minister opposes deals and changing the rules of the game, which upsets the rabbinical system."
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