The Knesset plenum approved tonight (Monday-Tuesday), in its second and third readings, the bill to postpone the elections for the Chief Rabbinate. The elections will be held in eight months, until which time the current chief rabbis will continue to serve in their positions.
52 Knesset members voted in favor and 29 against.
The official reason for the postponement is the local elections, but the practical reason is agreement within the coalition and the deliberations of the ultra-Orthodox parties regarding the identity of the candidates for the position. Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri's argument was that mayors and councils would use the elections for the Chief Rabbinate for political purposes and trade their support for candidates against the parties.
We have just finished a white night in the Knesset plenum.
Unfortunately, the coalition does not take its foot off the gas of the regime coup for a moment, and at the same time also takes care of the combines for its associates in the elections for the Chief Rabbinate (this is what we dealt with all night!).
During the discussions and votes, I watched pictures from the protest at Ben Gurion Airport, and I want to say to the demonstrators: Good for you, you are an example...
— Meirav Cohen (@cohen_meirav) July 4, 2023
MK Merav Cohen (Yesh Atid) responded to the law's approval: "We have just finished a white night in the Knesset plenum. Unfortunately, the coalition does not take its foot off the gas of the regime coup for a moment, and at the same time also takes care of combines for its associates in the elections for the Chief Rabbinate (this is what we dealt with all night).
"During the discussions and votes, I watched pictures from the protest at Ben Gurion Airport, and I want to say to the demonstrators: Good for you, you are a shining example of nonviolent popular protest to save democracy. You are exciting, you are an inspiration, and you must continue to awaken the people of Israel before it is too late."
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