Jeremy's Knesset Insider

The Tuesday, July 19, session lasted less than two hours. The day was shorter than usual because of the fast of the 17^th of Tammuz. Four bills were discussed. Two bills became law after passing their third readings, and two were advanced after passing their first readings. The new laws will allow candidates in local elections to advertise on local radio and prohibit the publication of sex victims’ pictures without their permission. The bills advanced afford women living in public housing additional rights in cases of separation from one’s husband and force criminals who harm minors to pay their victims in a timely manner.

 

Non-Bill Summary

• Nineteen MKs spoke during the one minute speech segment that opened the day. The main topic was the housing crisis.
• MK Levi-Abekasis (Y.B.) announced the Labor, Welfare and Health Committee’s request to split a bill into two separate bills. The request was approved 13-0.

 

Bills Summary

Amendment to the Proposed Election Bill

MK Michaeli (Shas) explained the amendment would allow local authority election campaigns to extend their advertising methods, including the use of local radio stations. He expressed hope this would help the local radio stations financially.

The bill passed its second reading 7-0.

The bill passed its third reading 8-0.

MK Pinyan (Likud) thanked the MKs for supporting his bill.

Amendment to the Penal Code Bill

MK Michaeli (Shas) explained the amendment would not allow sex victims to have their pictures published without their permission. He said this bill would protect sex victims from the media and unwanted exposure.

The bill passed its second reading 9-0.

The bill passed its third reading 10-0.

MK Hotovely (Likud) thanked the MKs for supporting her bill.

Amendment to the Public Housing Tenant Rights Bill

MK Avraham Balila (Kadima) explained her amendment would define the rights of couples who are living in public housing during the separation process before divorce. She said the bill will ensure that the wife would retain the public house over the husband. She expressed hope this would encourage women to leave their husbands with the knowledge that they will get to keep their house.

MK Ben Ari (N.U.) revealed that every Sunday he meets the public in his office in the Tikva neighborhood of Tel Aviv. He reported that the public is hurting and he is there to feel their pain. He called on Israelis to return to morals and values.

The bill passed its first reading 14-0 and was sent to the Women’s Rights Committee.

Amendment to the Fines, Fees and Expenses Collection Center Bill

MK Levi-Abekasis (Y.B.) explained her amendment would ensure financial compensation for a minor who is a victim of a criminal offense. She reported that the courts and police don’t force those who hurt the minors to pay the money that is required by law. She explained that most of the time the courts allow a payment plan over a decade and the minor doesn’t receive the compensation in time to rehabilitate his life.

MK Ben Ari directed his speech at Minister Shalom and expressed his opposition to the idea of turning Sundays into a day of rest. He said the day of rest will be turned into another party day that Israel’s economy has no need for. He went on to praise MK Levi-Abekasis and her beautiful bills. He noted that Rav Kahane grew up with Sundays and supported them, but wondered what Kahane would say today.

The bill passed its first reading 14-0 and was sent to the Justice Committee.

Deputy Prime Minister Shalom (Likud) praised MK Levi Abekasis and her bill. He responded to MK Ben Ari that a long weekend will bring religious and secular people together. He noted that most Muslim countries have a day off on Sundays. He suggested more people would keep the Sabbath if they had another day to the weekend. He added the youth groups will double their attendance with a longer weekend. He concluded by saying Rav Kahane would support Sundays off.

The Monday, July 18, session lasted about six and a half hours. Thirteen bills were discussed. There are six news laws following approval in their third readings, and seven bills were advanced after passing their first readings. The government easily defeated three no-confidence motions. The themes of most of the speeches of the night were the housing crisis, divorce and the courts.  The highlight bill of the night was the orphan bill, which had the most speeches, received the most media coverage and was the talk of the Knesset’s hallways. Another interesting law names the producer as the sole owner of any music he produces.

 

Non-Bills Summary

• Kadima’s no-confidence motion titled ‘The Netanyahu government’s failure in solving the housing shortage of the citizens of Israel and especially of young couples’ was defeated 37-51 with 32 MKs not present.
• Labor and Meretz’s joint no-confidence motion titled ‘The government’s failure to prevent legislation that harms the democratic character of the State’ was defeated 34-54 with 32 MKs not present.
• Hadash, Ra’am-Ta’al and Balad’s joint no-confidence motion titled ‘A failed government which threatens democracy’ was defeated 29-54 with 37 MKs not present.
• Funds Committee Chairman Gafni (U.T.J.) announced his committee’s request to apply a continuity clause on a bill. The MKs have two weeks to declare opposition to the request.
• Finance Committee Chairman Shama (Likud) announced his committee’s request to apply technical changes to two bills. The request was approved by a 6-0 vote.

 

Bills Summary

Amendment to the Antitrust Bill

Finance Committee Chairman Shama (Likud) explained the amendment would place limitations on businesses that would help the overall power of the market. He stated that when trusts are not limited they buy up entire markets, raise prices and eliminate competitors. He explained the new measure will place every company merger or buyout under a microscope and will allow the government to force the trusts to sell off some of their companies. He said that markets that are currently regulated will also be affected by the bill, with the regulator and the finance ministry both involved in determining who is a trust. He expressed hope this bill would break up monopolies and open the market to more competitors.

The bill passed its second reading 44-0.

The bill passed its third reading 53-0.

Temporary Provisions on the Amendment to the Israel Defense Army Radio Broadcasting Bill

Finance Committee Chairman Shama explained the amendment would extend the temporary provision that allows sponsorship, service announcements and advertising on the army radio stations despite their designation as public broadcast stations. He added that the provision has been extended several times since it was first introduced in 2005 to provide the stations with additional income and this extension will add another six months to the provision. He warned if this provision isn’t extended the stations might go bankrupt.

The bill passed its second reading 44-1.

The bill passed its third reading 43-1-1.

Amendment to the National Parks, Nature Reserves, National Sites and Memorial Sites Bill

MK Khenin (Hadash) explained the amendment will allow members of the national parks, reserves and sites council to serve three terms, compared to the one term they are currently restricted to by law. He reminded the MKs that the council members’ terms would not be automatically extended; rather, they would have to be either re-elected or re-appointed.

The bill passed its second reading 27-0.

The bill passed its third reading 26-0 with one MK abstaining.

Amendment to the Civil Service Bill

Deputy Finance Minister Cohen (Shas) presented the only 2011 government bill to be defeated (with last week’s 15-19 vote). He explained the amendment would define new regulation surrounding the pension of land authority workers.

MK Eichler (U.T.J.) slammed the bill as unfair to other government workers since it provides land authority workers the ability to retire early and receive full benefits. He expressed support for the government’s facelift reform of the land authority but expressed regret for the high price that has to be paid to achieve it. He slammed the press for giving a couple dozen young kids media coverage for protesting the housing shortage when dozens of MKs have been protesting the housing shortage from the Knesset podium with no media coverage.

MK Molla (Kadima) charged this bill would hurt the land authority workers and is just another part of the government’s failed reform of the authority. He called on the government to buy 100,000 caravans that can serve as temporary homes while the country solves the housing crisis.

MK Ben Ari (N.U.) noted the housing crisis is out of hand. He mentioned that he lives in Judea and Samaria in a settlement called Karnei Shomron. He remarked that former Meretz MK Shulamit Aloni lives in the private land of the former Arab village El-Haram, now known as one of Israel’s most exclusive towns, Kfar Shmaryahu. He slammed her for living on conquered stolen land and noted that he doesn’t live on private Arab land. He said the building freeze has forced the children of settlers to live in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and lifting the freeze will stop that from happening. He praised the new boycott bill and slammed the government for boycotting the settlements and the settlers.

Finance Minister Steinitz (Likud) slammed the 19 opposition MKs who voted down the bill the previous week. He charged they are the ones who are prolonging the housing crisis by delaying the passage of this bill. He reminded those present that this bill is the last piece of the land authority reform and part of Bibi’s 100-day plan.

The bill passed its first reading 41-11 and was sent to the Labor Committee.

Amendment to the Real Estate Tax Bill

Finance Minister Steinitz reported that over the eight years of 2000-2008 the housing shortage increased by 80,000 building units. He announced the government has built more units this year, reducing the shortage to 60,000 units. He stated there are about 80,000 units that were bought as investments and are not being rented out and about 60,000 units in residential zoned areas that are being used for commercial purposes. He explained that 140,000 apartments that no one lives in create an additional burden on the housing shortage. He explained his amendment would create incentives that reduce the taxes on these 140,000 apartments if they are sold or rented in order to lower the demand for housing throughout the country. He noted the incentives would last through the end of 2012. He said in order to entice people to take the tax incentives, those who don’t sell or rent out their units by the end of 2012 will see a tax hike.

MK Swaid (Hadash) called on the prime minister to bring a supertanker to the Israeli Arab housing shortage because it is at its worst in that sector. He also called on legalizing the illegal housing in Arab cities.

MK Ariel (N.U.) asked if this bill will also take effect in Judea and Samaria. Justice Minister Neeman and Coalition Chairman Elkin (Likud) responded that it wouldn’t, and Ariel responded that they should be ashamed of themselves. He slammed the government for discriminating against the citizens in Judea and Samaria. He said the measures in this bill are, in typical government fashion, too little, too late and too slow. He blasted the government for freezing 10,000 approved units in Judea and Samaria and told his conservative friends there is a limit to how long they can hide behind Defense Minister Barak.

MK Eichler supported Ariel’s initiative to have this bill apply to Judea and Samaria as well. He expressed disappointment with the government’s discrimination of its citizens based on location and asked if the Israeli government was in violation of the new boycott law for doing so against hundreds of thousands of its citizens.

MK Ben Ari said this bill is an “empty bottle” and the government is lying to its people by promising this bill will solve the housing shortage. He said the easiest way to solve the housing shortage is to lift the freeze on previously approved units in Judea and Samaria and to add more. In conclusion he told the Tel Avivians protesting in tents that if they hadn’t welcomed 40,000 Sudanese into their city maybe they would have a place to rent or buy.

MK Zeev (Shas) defended the government and the bill. He slammed Molla and told him he has absolutely no idea what he is talking about and stressed his own experience of 15 years on the building and planning committee of Jerusalem.

MK Molla expressed support for the bill. Rather than slamming the bill he opted instead to slam the government for not applying this bill to the settlement blocks that would remain part of Israel after any peace agreement under every Israeli consensus. He said anyone who equates Ma’aleh Adumim and Gush Etzion with Yitzhar is an enemy of Zionism. He called on Netanyahu to build up the settlement blocks. He noted that under Olmert’s term 9,000 units were built in Judea and Samaria, all in the blocks. He concluded by repeating his demand that the government apply this law to the settlement blocks and build up the settlement blocks to solve the housing crisis.

MK Shai (Kadima) called this bill a band-aid for an illness that is in dire need of heavy medication. He slammed the housing crisis and blamed the current government for causing it.

The bill passed its first reading 40-1 with one MK abstaining and was sent to the Funds Committee.

Temporary Provision on the Courts Bill

Justice Minister Neeman explained the courts have too many unsolved cases, mainly due to the large number of cases that are stuck in the system. He said 60% of the cases in Tel Aviv are open, as well as 46% in Jerusalem and Haifa and 28% in the southern districts. He stated the increased caseloads have caused people to think twice about going to court and forces many settlements. He explained the temporary provision would enable judges to delegate certain civil cases from the lower courts to compulsory arbitration which would not use judges. He explained the provision would also allow judges more flexibility in prioritizing which cases to hear sooner and which can remain on the backburner. He mentioned the new measures are being passed as temporary provisions in order to examine their impact before making them permanent.

MK Ben Ari quoted American judges’ criticism of former Supreme Court President Aharon Barak and his political activism. He exposed the favoritism of the close knit Supreme Court justices who routinely appoint family members and friends to various court positions and grant them internships in preference to more qualified applicants. He slammed the courts for these unethical political appointments. He concluded by attacking Supreme Court President Beinisch for appointing her friends to the bench beside her. He noted she has been torpedoing attempts to raise the number of Supreme Court judges in Israel from 14 to 18, allowing her to keep her power and, as a result, keep the number of open cases among the highest in the western world.

MK Levin (Likud) called the bill a breakthrough that will make the courts more efficient. He went on to slam the Supreme Court’s judgment in the recent Durrani case and told Neeman that this proves that the way justices are selected needs to be changed immediately.

MK El-Sana (R.T.) defended the Durrani judgment and spent five minutes slamming Levin and Ben Ari in particular, and all other conservative MKs in general. He defended MK Zoabi (Balad) and blasted the ethics committee for sanctioning her.

MK Zeev said democracy is in trouble as long as El-Sana is an MK. He went on to slam the Supreme Court for undermining the authority of the religious courts. He blasted the courts for taking a year and a half on average before even setting a date for the actual trial.

The bill passed its first reading 26-0 and was sent to the Law Committee.

Deputy Speaker Whbee (Kadima) was upset by the noise coming from a conversation on the other side of the room, so he called MK Miller (Y.B.) to order and suspended Miller’s assistant’s entry to the plenum for two weeks.

Amendment to the Hostility Victims Compensation Bill

MK Itzik (Kadima) explained under current Israeli law that if both parents die in a terrorist attack the entitlement package that is supposed to be granted to the children is not possible, because the current law provides that grant only to spouses and not children. She explained this amendment will correct that and allow the orphans to receive the entitlements that they deserve. She slammed the current law because it meant the children had to pay for their psychologists and their parents’ burials. She slammed the radical left who labeled this bill the “Fogel Bill,” noting this bill was written before the massacre in Itamar. She thanked the sponsor of the bill, MK Orlev (J.H.), and MK Haim Katz (Likud) for assisting in advancing this bill.

MK Ariel said this is one of the most just bills he has ever read and expressed his support for all orphans, particularly those who lost both parents in terrorist attacks.

MK Hotovely (Likud) said a bill like this doesn’t need one lobbyist. She expressed her support for the NIS 4 million that will be spent on the 80 children from 22 affected families. She asked the opposition to take politics out of the discussion because the government fully supports this bill.

MK Yaakov Katz (N.U.) called the orphans national heroes and expressed support for the bill. He listed the names of people he knew personally who were murdered in various terrorist attacks. He called on the government to build more homes in Judea and Samaria in the name of those who have fallen.

MK Haim Katz (Likud) remembered his meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu while he was forming his government. He recalled turning down a ministry position to serve as the chairman of the Labor, Welfare and Health Committee. He took credit for passing the bill and revealed that MKs Orlev and Itzik were both willing to water down the bill they sponsored, while he refused. He announced that he fought for the orphan bill and received Netanyahu’s blessing, just as he had received Netanyahu’s blessing on the widow’s bill that he passed. He assured the bill will be passed before the end of the summer session and this saga will come to an end. He slammed the ministers who opposed the bill or wished to place restrictions on it. He suggested that if it wasn’t for him this bill wouldn’t have passed.

MK Ben Ari said he was embarrassed the government needs to pass this bill and that the law doesn’t already exist. He recalled the assassination ten years ago of his friend Rav Binyamin Kahaneh and his wife, who left six orphans who never received the benefits they would have if their mother had survived. He described the hardships those six orphans had over the last decade and wondered if their lives would have been a bit different had this law existed then.

MK Zeev called this bill the most humane and moral bill he can recall. He rejected claims that members of the coalition are opposed to the bill.

MK Zuaretz (Kadima) said orphans are the responsibility of the country and if the country doesn’t take care of them nobody will.

MK Schneller (Kadima) praised the sponsors and expressed support for the bill. He said it is sad that some MKs would not have supported the bill had the budget been over NIS 5 million.

MK Orlev (J.H.) noted that one of the orphans who was sitting in the gallery watching the discussion is 15 years old and, as every orphan, is not listed in any Teudat Zehut (Israeli identification card). He slammed the Knesset for making it difficult for him to enter the building and the gallery. He blasted former governments for not passing his bill sooner. He thanked Netanyahu, Finance Minister Steinitz and Labor and Welfare Minister Kahlon for supporting the bill and allocating funds for the bill to be implemented. He thanked his co-sponsor Itzik but didn’t mention Haim Katz.

The bill passed its first reading 41-0 and was sent to the Welfare Committee.

Amendment to the Payment Dates by Debiting and Deposit Bill

Finance Committee Chairman Shama explained the amendment would give the consumer more control over companies who collect monthly automatic withdrawals. He announced the consumer will now be able to choose the day of the month he wants the transaction to take place. He noted that local authorities will be included along with all commercial companies that must follow the new rules. He envisioned a family who can decide for themselves when they want to receive their monthly bills for swimming pools, taxes, education costs and water.

The bill passed its second reading 12-0.

The bill passed its third reading 12-0.

MK Maklev (U.T.J.) thanked the Knesset and the MKs for approving his bill.

Amendment to the Proposal of the Equal Opportunities Bill

Women’s Rights Chairwoman Hotovely explained the amendment would grant women who are self-employed the same benefits as women who are salaried workers. She thanked the bill’s sponsor, Orlev, and noted she has learned a lot from him. She also thanked her staff.

The bill passed its second reading 10-0.

The bill passed its third reading 10-0.

MK Orlev thanked Hotovely for her work on this bill and her work in general.

Amendment to the Rabbinical Courts Bill

MK Schneller announced there are about 190 women who refuse to receive a get that would grant them their divorce and there are about the same number of men who refuse to give a get to their wives.  He expressed hope his amendment would lower that number considerably. He noted that in most cases the case was dragged out in court and if things hadn’t gone out of control divorce could have been accomplished. He explained the bill would present the judges the tools of using multiple sanctions on the side that refuses a divorce within a 90-day period that would hopefully result in all cases being solved within that three-month time frame. He added the bill requires a court session every two weeks following the first 90 days in order to further encourage the process of completing the divorce. He praised the rabbinical judges for doing a great job and mentioned that several of them helped him formulate the bill.

The bill passed its first reading 7-0 with one MK abstaining and was sent to the Justice Committee.

Amendment to the Rabbinical Courts Bill

MK Orlev explained that his amendment is similar to Schneller’s bill. He explained it will enable the courts to grant restraining orders and supervise the implementation of them and other court decisions. He added it would force judges to convene before any court decisions are due to expire.

The bill passed its first reading 8-0 and was sent to the Justice Committee.

Amendment to the Local Authorities Bill

Funds Committee Chairman Gafni (U.T.J.) explained the amendment would determine which party in a joint electoral list is responsible for local authority election expenses.

The bill passed its first reading 8-0 and was sent to the Interior Committee.

Amendment to the Copyright Bill

Deputy Speaker Whbee almost skipped the last bill, which MK Shama was to present. Shama entered the plenum a few seconds after the previous vote, just before Whbee was about to close the session. Whbee blasted Shama for showing up late, and Shama responded he had been called into an urgent meeting with Netanyahu regarding the housing crisis.

Finance Committee Chairman Shama explained the bill would give the ownership of music or a record to the producer of the music and not to the performer. He explained the producer makes everything happen and therefore should own the music. He noted that for purposes of ownership, the producer will be recognized as the person who is listed as a producer on the record or single. Shama and Whbee started to mumble out of sheer exhaustion.

The bill passed its second reading 6-0.

The bill passed its third reading 5-0.

MK Yariv Levin slammed Whbee for repeatedly calling him Dov Levin. He thanked the MKs who stayed up late in order to approve his bill.

Last Wednesday’s session lasted about eight hours. Fourteen bills were discussed. Twelve bills were advanced after passing their preliminary readings, one was turned into a motion to avoid defeat and one was defeated. Four of the bills advanced call for canceling the retirement age increase for women from 62 to 67. MK Bielski (Kadima) was the sponsor of three of the bills advanced. The highlight of the day was MK Zoabi (Balad) resisting her removal from the plenum during the 40 MK signature session, assaulting two female security guards. A breast feeding bill caused a stir during its discussion.

 

Non-Bills Summary

• Deputy Finance Minister Cohen (Shas), Homefront Security Minister Vilnai (Independence), Deputy Foreign Minister Ayalon (Y.B.) and Environment Minister Erdan (Likud) answered urgent queries to begin the session.
• A discussion on the topic ‘The Netanyahu government’s failure in the political, economic and social sectors’ was discussed by fifteen MKs. As required by 40 MKs’ signatures, Prime Minister Netanyahu responded, and Opposition Leader Livni had the last say.
• Four motions were discussed. Motions on the idea to make Sunday a day of rest and the declaration of Independence of South Sudan passed 12-0 and 8-0, respectively, and were sent to committee for further discussion. Motions on the Quartet meeting in Washington and the conclusions and lessons from the air flotilla were defeated by votes of 3-5 and 1-5, respectively.
• Deputy Foreign Minister Ayalon responded to a query at the end of the session.

 

Bills Summary

Amendment to the Consumer Protection Bill

MK Maklev (U.T.J.) explained his amendment would force companies to send consumers an annual summary of the past year’s monthly transactions in the mail. He announced that the government supports his bill.

The bill passed its preliminary reading 16-1 and was sent to the Finance Committee.

Amendment to the State Education Bill

MK Orlev (J.H.) explained his amendment would force schools to include promoting service in the IDF and national service among their education goals and purposes.

Education Minister Sa’ar (Likud) expressed government support for the bill.

The bill passed its preliminary reading 30-0 and was sent to the Education Committee.

Amendment to the Victims of Crime Rights Bill

MK Bielski (Kadima) explained his amendment would include the offense of abandonment after a car accident as part of the Victims of Crime Rights Bill. He said over the last decade there have been 7,000 hit and run accidents in Israel and it has become an epidemic. He gave detailed examples of tragic cases where the offenders were sentenced with just community service on plea bargains. He explained his bill would prohibit a plea bargain if against the wishes of the victim’s immediate family.

Justice Minister Neeman expressed government support for the bill.

The bill passed its preliminary reading 46-0 and was sent to the Justice Committee.

Accessibility to Report Dangerous Driving Bill                        

MK Bielski explained his amendment would allow citizens to report dangerous driving of all company cars to a special traffic security number. He noted that 31,000 Israelis have died from traffic accidents, higher than the number of Israeli deaths in all of Israel’s wars.

Environment Minister Erdan expressed government support for the bill.

The bill passed its preliminary reading 38-0 and was sent to the Finance Committee.

Amendment to the Tenders Bill

MK Bielski explained his amendment would prohibit the discrimination of age for government tenders. He praised Israeli Bank Governor Stanley Fisher for saving Israel from the global recession and attacked the World Bank for not accepting Fisher’s application for their governor because he is 67 and the tender is only for applicants under 65. He noted the bill will allow an age ceiling of 80 for government tenders. He thanked his luck for passing three bills in one day.

Deputy Finance Minister Cohen (Shas) expressed government support for the bill.

The bill passed its preliminary reading 42-0 and was sent to the Justice Committee.

Amendment to the Welfare Services Bill

MK Solodkin (Kadima) explained her amendment would change the composition of the welfare appeals committee in local authorities. She stated the committee will consist of three members. A judge would serve as the chairman of the committee, and the other two members would be a licensed social worker and a city council member.

Deputy Health Minister Litzman (U.T.J.) expressed government support for the bill.

The bill passed its preliminary reading 40-0 and was sent to the Welfare Committee.

Amendment to the Knesset Bill

MK Levin (Likud) explained his amendment would regulate the wages and other payments to those whose membership in the Knesset has been suspended. He explained that until now each MK received a different amount and this bill will ensure each suspended MK will receive the same payments.

Speaker Rivlin noted that because it is an internal Knesset matter the government may not give their position. He told Levin that history will remember him as the man who fixed the Israeli Knesset official protocols after more than 60 years of misuse.

The bill passed its preliminary reading 30-2 with two MKs abstaining and was sent to the House Committee.

Encouraging Breast Feeding and Keeping Babies Well-Nourished Bill

MK Danon (Likud) explained his bill would prohibit baby formula companies from giving free samples or presents to new mothers in Israeli hospitals. He said the companies give money to the hospitals to allow them to enter the new mothers’ private rooms and persuade the mothers to use formula over breast milk. He cited statistics that show formula is inferior to breast milk and in many cases slows babies’ development, lowers their immune system and increases incidents of illness.

Deputy Health Minister Litzman expressed government support to the bill. He agreed studies show formula causes health risks for babies and mothers shouldn’t be encouraged to use it.

MK Gal-On (Meretz) heckled Litzman and the government position throughout his speech. She slammed breast feeding as chauvinistic. She said those who oppose formula are against feminism and trap mothers at home all day with the baby. She said the Knesset is acting as a dictatorship that is deciding for mothers what the ideal mother is and forcing them to breastfeed. She said it should be a mother’s choice which way she wants to feed her child. She said that as a mother she didn’t breastfeed and her children are fine. She said women are free to do as they please and shouldn’t be given guilt trips. She called on lifting bans on all abortions for the same reason. She said the government and Danon will not decide for the mother what is best for her children. Female MKs heckled Gal-On. She responded by saying the government is wrong and this bill must be defeated.

MK Danon responded that the bill doesn’t force mothers to breastfeed; rather, the bill is against formula companies spending millions of dollars per year bribing hospitals to enter mothers’ private rooms. He said this bill is for mothers. He said it does encourage breast feeding, but it doesn’t stop mothers from making the choice to use formula.

Speaker Rivlin stated a mother’s milk is best for babies.

The bill passed its preliminary reading 43-13 and was sent to the House Committee to decide which committee will discuss the matter further.

Motion/Amendment to the Business Licensing Bill

MK Naffaa (Balad) explained his amendment would regulate the supervision of summer camps. He stated that half a million children attend over 5,000 camps every summer and the government has stayed out of it despite the State Comptrollers criticism. He explained his bill would require all summer camps to receive a business license. He noted that not one unlicensed summer camp has been charged for not having a license. He stated it is important for the government to get involved in this matter because it is important to know the country’s children are in a safe environment. He expressed disappointment in the government’s opposition to the bill. He announced he reached an agreement with Coalition Chairman Elkin (Likud) in which the bill will be turned into a motion to avoid defeat.

The motion passed 24-0 and was sent to the Interior Committee.

Amendment to the State Education Bill

MK Horowitz (Meretz) explained his amendment would prohibit local authorities from budgeting unrecognized educational institutions. UTJ and Shas MKs heckled Horowitz. He confessed this bill will repeal the Nahari Bill that enables the local authorities to budget money for unlicensed ultra-orthodox schools. He admitted he is against religious schools and feels all State schools should be secular. He said he thinks religious schools should not receive any State or local funding and be totally private. He called on separation of synagogue from State and the end of government funding of religious schools. He said this bill will free up money to allow the secular schools to provide free lunches and free school buses. He called religious schools racist and charged they discriminate against the Sephardic Jews. He said there are only six education ministry inspectors in the entire country and only one of them inspects religious schools.

Education Minister Sa’ar expressed government opposition to the bill on the grounds it will repeal the Nahari Bill that was passed under Prime Minister Olmert’s administration. He said the balance that was reached in the bill is that each local authority is allowed to decide for itself if they choose to fund recognized schools or unrecognized schools. He noted the only MKs that voted against the Nahari Bill in the previous Knesset were those in the Meretz party. He revealed that as Education Minister he cut State funding to six religious State schools that refused to teach English.

MK Horowitz went on to blast religious schools for five straight minutes.

The bill was defeated 15-47. MK Gafni (U.T.J.) announced he pressed the wrong button and voted for the bill by mistake. Speaker Rivlin decided not to change his vote.

Four Amendments to the Retirement Age Bill

MK Itzik (Kadima) explained that her amendment would cancel the planned gradual increase in retirement age for women from 62 to 67. She rejected claims that it is hypocritical to be a feminist and decide women shouldn’t retire at the same age as men. She said it is just that men retire at 67 and women at 62. She praised Foreign Minister Liberman and Yisrael Beitenu for pressing the government to support her bill. She called for equality for women, which she said starts with giving women more rights than men. She rejected suggestions this would cause mass firings of women because employers will receive five fewer years than they were expecting from their female employees. She slammed Shas for not helping her promote the bill. She warned the men that one day they will be a minority and then women will take men’s rights into consideration.

MK Agbaria (Hadash) said that when a country is strong financially there is no reason its citizens need to work hard. He called on the government to lower men’s retirement age to 62 as a first step and lower everyone’s retirement age at a later stage to 55. He called on the Knesset to support his similar bill.

MK Hotovely (Likud) explained her similar amendment would do the same exact thing. She thanked all the female MKs from all of the parties who cooperated together to push this bill through. She said everyone has a right to retire and receive their pension and her bill allows women to retire at 62. She slammed Israel for having one of the highest retirement ages for women at 62 and called on the government to lower it even further.

MK Gal-On (Meretz) was supposed to present her similar amendment but was not present. Speaker Rivlin determined the Knesset will not wait for her and asked the government to respond to the first three bills.

Culture and Sports Minister Livnat (Likud) gave a long, feministic speech that had absolutely nothing to do with the actual bills. She slammed Opposition Leader Livni for not supporting the bill and told her that as a mother she should be ashamed of herself. She said the coalition members are allowed to vote according to their consciences and the government is not taking an official position.

MK Gal-On asked to present her bill. Speaker Rivlin allowed her bill to be presented and gave Gal-On thirty seconds to speak on her bill.

The four bills passed their preliminary readings 67-1, 68-1, 68-1 and 59-1 and were all sent to the House Committee to determine which committee will discuss them.

Opposition Leader Livni slammed Minister Livnat and said she wouldn’t comment on her allegations.