Tag Archive: religion


Shaked Law passes 67-1

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March 12, 2014

Following the opposition boycott of the planned 21-hour session, as opposed to the planned 23-hour session for the Electoral Reform Bill, Speaker Edelstein re-opened up the session as planned at 10 AM.

Chairwoman Shaked (Bayit Yehudi) gave a speech highlighting certain aspects of the bill. She stated that around 22,000 Haredim will get an exemption for service in order for them to enter the workforce. She noted that the Haredim are 400 people away from meeting their target goals for this year in the army and 600 people away for national service target goals. She pointed out there are already thousands of Haredim serving in both and that the Haredim are expected to meet the target goals for this year by July. She said that those who don’t want to learn should go to army or national service and allow their friends who want to learn to be able to do so. She pointed out there are currently 800 haredim doing combat service. Every haredi combat soldier is counted as 1.5 toward enlistment goal numbers. She talked about the accomplishments of Haredim in the military, national service and the workforce while still devoting time to learning Torah. She praised the Ministry Economy plan for training and employing Haredim.

Minister Piron (Yesh Atid) gave a long speech that included quotes from Opposition Leader Herzog’s grandfather who was an Israeli Chief Rabbi.

Speaker Edelstein announced that all coalition MKs removed their objections. All of the opposition objections were removed because the objecting MKs were not in the building.

You can read more about the content bill here: https://knessetjeremy.com/2014/03/11/the-shaked-hardei-draftserviceemployment-bill/

National Service Bill passed its second reading 66-1 (with an MK present that was present but didn’t vote), 67-1, 67-0 (1 didn’t vote), 67-1. A government objection was accepted 68-0.
It passed in its third reading 67-1.

Amendment to the Security Service Bill passed its second reading 67-1 and third reading 67-1.

Minister Peri (Yesh Atid) thanked the Knesset for approving the bill.

Speaker Edelstein closed the session and said they would re-convene in 20 minutes for the regular Wed Knesset session.

The only coalition MK who voted against the bill is Bayit Yehudi MK Yoni Chetboun.
The 52 opposition MKs went through with their boycott. The official Knesset protocol will show that not one opposition MK gave a speech against the bill and not one opposition MK voted against the bill.

Shaked Law (for good and for bad) is complete.

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The Shaked (Hardei Draft/Service/Employment) Bill

Filed under: Daily Updates, Knesset, Other — 10 Comments
March 11, 2014

The Shaked Bill is really two bills in one.
Both of the bills are very long, here is a quick summary of major points.
The National Service Bill 

Three different types of National Service:

Civilian-Security-Service (police, prison service, firefighting, protecting witnesses, green & beach police, magen david adom/ambulances, zaka, hatzala, other lifesaving organizations). 36 hours a week for two years.

Civilian-Social-Service (health, welfare, education, environment, absorbing immigration, assisting senior citizens, road safety, government hasbara, national archives work, overseas government work). Choice between 20 hours a week for three years or 30 hours a week for two years, either way it will be a 5-day work-week. 20 paid vacation days a year and 20 paid sick days a year.

Civilian-National Service (the type that we are familiar with today).

Amendment to the Security Service Bill

Everyone:

* Men service goes down from 36 to 32 months (2 years 8 months).
* Learning Torah will be recognized as a service to the State of Israel.

Religious-Zionists:

  • Hesder track will now serve a minimum of 17 months (1 year 5 months)
  • Shiluv, Mechina and other program track adjustments and additions.
  • Non-Hesder/Shiluv/Mechina Zionist Yeshiva deferments until age 23 or 26, depending on criteria.
  • Zionist Yeshiva students required to learn Torah 40-45 hours a week depending on criteria and not allowed to work.
  • Criteria to be included in law.
  • Reports Zionist Yeshivas must submit to government.

Haredim:

  • Becomes law on March 20 2014.
  • Adjustment period for Haredim ends July 1st 2017.
  • Defense Minister can allow each Haredi in age brackets 18-21 to defer their army service for up to 12 months each year.
  • Defense Minister can grant each Haredi at age 22 a two-year deferment until age 24 or two one-year deferments depending on criteria.
  • Defense Minister can allow each Haredi aged 24 and older to enter workforce.
  • After age 21 the various national service tracks can be opened up depending on criteria.
  • Haredim aged 24 and older can enter employment tracks.
  • Haredim can receive up to 15 hours of employment training a week.
  • A lot of executive power and room given to Minister of the Economy to integrate Haredim into workforce.
  • Defense Minister can release 26 year old Haredim from service if the Haredim meet their target goals after the five year adjustment period.
  • Even if Haredim don’t meet target goals, Haredim under 21 will be able to defer service until 21.
  • Each year 1,800 additional Haredim will be exempt from serving in military or national service.
  • Yeshiva students required to learn Torah 40-45 hours a week depending on criteria and not allowed to work.
  • Haredi Yeshiva students aged 22 and older who are married are allowed to work but still must put in the 40-45 hours learning.
  • Criteria for who is on list of Haredi Yeshiviot.
  • Government reports to Knesset on implementation of the law.
  • Criteria for hiring supervisors for this law.
  • There will be target numbers for military, and different target numbers for national
  • Bottom Line: The bill really gives the Defense Minister a lot of power on how it will be implemented.
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The three most important bills of the 19th Knesset

Filed under: Daily Updates, Knesset, Other — 9 Comments
March 3, 2014

The three most important bills of the 19th Knesset are expected to come up for their third readings this month, before Knesset goes on recess March 19th. The National Referendum Bill, The Haredi Draft Bill and The Electoral Reform Bill are expected to all pass. Each one of these bills will have a big impact on the country. What is in each bill, what is not in each bill? KnessetJeremy is planning to return to its 18th-Knesset format and give you a summary of each MKs speech in the plenum. It should be a lot of fun.

Jeremy

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Knesset Summer Session 2012 Day 18: Emergency Regulations in Judea and Samaria Extended

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June 17, 2012

The Knesset’s Monday session lasted about three hours. Two bills were discussed. A bill on loosening the regulations on strengthening buildings against earthquakes became law after passing its third reading, and the emergency regulations in Judea and Samaria were advanced after passing their first readings. The government easily defeated two no-confidence motions.

 

Non-Bills Summary

  • Speaker Rivlin blasted the government for about ten minutes on how they constantly disrespect the Knesset. He said the Prime Minister’s decision to take seven ministers with him to Eilat on a Knesset day later this week was the last straw and he will not allow government bills to be brought to the Knesset next week. When he realized that no minister was in the room to answer the two no-confidence motions he became even angrier and told the opposition MKs that they can speak for an unlimited amount of time until a minister arrives.
  • Labor and Meretz’s joint no-confidence motion titled “The government’s impotence in the political, social and economic sectors” was defeated 14-63.
  • Hadash, Ra’am-Ta’al and Balad’s joint no-confidence motion titled “The government’s failure in dealing with the housing shortage and unemployment among teachers in the Arab sector” was defeated 14-61 with one MK abstaining.
  • House Committee Chairman Levin (Likud) announced which disputed bills would be discussed in which committees.
  • MK Gilon (Meretz) announced the request of the Labor, Welfare and Health Committee to split a bill into two. MK Bielski  (Kadima) also chose to speak. The request was approved 20-0.

Bills Summary

Amendment to Extend the Validity of the Emergency Regulations in Judea and Samaria Bill

Religious Services Minister Margi (Shas) explained the amendment would extend the current system of jurisdiction, offenses and legal assistance in place in Judea and Samaria for another five years until June 30, 2017.

MK Khenin (Hadash) said that the emergency regulations that have been in place since 1967 and extended every five years are obviously not temporary. He said the current set of laws are different for Jews and Arabs that live in the Wild West called Judea and Samaria. He said the conquering of Judea and Samaria 45 years ago was a mistake and voting against this bill will correct that mistake by ending Israeli rule over these areas. He called on creating a Palestinian state immediately along the 1967 borders.

MK Ariel (N.U.) asked the government how they can discriminate against Jews who live in Judea and Samaria while the Jews who live everywhere else receive full rights and benefits under law. He said that citizens that are taxed deserve equal rights. He stressed there is no such thing as taxation without full representation. He called on annexing Judea and Samaria today.

MK Zahalka (Balad) said the bill is not democratic because it determines the law over a group of people who did not vote for this parliament. He said this is the most anti-democratic bill this Knesset has passed. He noted that this bill includes Gaza which means that Israel has never ended their occupation of Gaza. He said this bill proves that Israel is trying to pretend that Gaza’s occupation is over when it makes sense to them, when the truth is that the occupation continues.

MK Katzeleh (N.U.) said that over 350,000 Jews live in Judea and Samaria, 300,000 Jews live in eastern Jerusalem and 25,000 Jews live in the Golan. He said that it is only a matter of time before this bill stops being extended. He said that internal polls show 15-20 seats for a united faction of National Union with Jewish Home.

MK Ben Ari (N.U.) read off letters his office received from citizens who are struggling with the African takeover of Southern Tel Aviv. He said that we are in a state of emergency with the African takeover of Israel and we need to have special provisions on the emergency regulations to include solving this African issue. He said that Israel is becoming a dangerous place and we must fight for our survival.

MK Zeev (Shas) said that the British Mandate is over and these emergency provisions are unnecessary, especially when it comes to Judea and Samaria. He said that a lot of the provisions make sense but they don’t need to be set on an emergency basis that needs to be extended every five years. He called on Netanyahu to fulfill his promise for the 800 houses in Judea and Samaria so that the Ulpana evacuation will have some meaning. He added that the government should evacuate the Arabs’ illegal buildings in eastern Jerusalem and not evacuate the Ulpana. He said in the name of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef that there is no Jewish law that allows kicking Jews out of their homes even if a Palestinian really does own that land. He told the Knesset that his Rabbi asked him to deliver that message personally to Netanyahu and to the Knesset plenum.

MK Schneller (Kadima) said for this bill to be irrelevant we need to do one of three things: one is to annex everything, two is to give up on everything and the third is to make a deal with the Palestinians that falls somewhere in the middle. He said that in order to strike a deal the center-right will be needed to ensure that a majority of the country supports the agreement. He slammed the three leftist plans of compensation evacuation, the Talya Sasson outpost report, and the decision to go to the Supreme Court every time they want to evacuate a house. He said they have caused the exact opposite of their intention- the Jews in Judea and Samaria are now more ideological, have grabbed more hilltops and will see 10 houses built for every one destroyed by a Supreme Court order. He charged that it is the left that is holding up a deal and whoever really wants a deal needs to understand that they need a majority of Israelis to support it.

The extension of the bill passed its first reading 40-9 and was sent to the Justice Committee.

Amendment to the Lands Bill

Interior and Environment Committee Chairman Cohen (Shas) explained the amendment would loosen the regulations on strengthening apartments and condominiums against earthquakes. He expressed hope that this will lead to more apartments receiving the necessary strengthening requirements that will save their homes from an earthquake and save lives.

MK Ariel asked why the bill is not going to apply to Judea and Samaria and demanded Cohen withdraw the bill back to committee. He said it is not fair that he is being discriminated against and might die of an earthquake because he lives in Judea and Samaria.

The bill passed its second reading 29-0.

The bill passed its third reading 17-0.

MK Azoulay (Shas) thanked the Knesset for approving his bill and Orlev, whose bill was merged into his.

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This was the Knesset Jeremy English translation protocol of the Knesset’s June 11, 2012, session.

Official protocol in Hebrew: http://www.knesset.gov.il/plenum/data/02815012.doc

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Knesset Summer Session 2012 Day 9: Druze Court Appointments, Erasing Minors’ Criminal Records and Official Prison Visits

Filed under: Daily Updates, Knesset — Leave a comment
June 1, 2012

The Knesset’s Wednesday session lasted about seven hours. Seven bills were discussed. Three bills were advanced after passing their preliminary readings, and four bills were defeated. The bills advanced deal with Druze court selection of committee appointees, erasing minors’ criminal records in certain cases and official prison visits by a Knesset committee chairman.

 

Non-Bills Summary

  • Speaker Rivlin opened the session discussing the difficult situation in which the new 26-MK opposition has been placed. He gave his opinion on various changes that the 94-MK coalition should consider in order to preserve Israeli democracy.
  • Deputy Education Minister Moses (U.T.J.), Homeland Security Minister Aharonovitch (Y.B.), Labor and Welfare Minister Kahlon  (Likud) and Interior Minister Yishai (Shas) answered urgent queries.
  • Speaker Rivlin gave a warm speech to the Moldovan government delegation.
  • House Committee Chairman Levin (Likud) announced which subcommittees the incoming Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee  Chairman Bar-On (Kadima) will chair.
  • Ten motions were discussed on the top headlines of the week. Eight of them were sent to committee by the votes 13-0, 8-2, 11-0, 6-0, 10-0, 4-0, 6-0 and 5-0. Two motions were not voted on.

 

Bills Summary

Amendment to the Retirement Bill

MK Agbaria (Hadash) explained his amendment would lower the retirement age for construction workers. He said that these workers have a low quality of life and they can’t work over 35 years in a hard labor job. He said it is the government who should pay the early pension to the worker and not the employer, since these workers move from job to job. He recalled his own work as a construction worker and the difficulty of the job. He said this weak working sector should be protected and given additional benefits.

Deputy Finance Minister Cohen (Shas) explained there are 173,000 construction workers that make up 5.4% of the workforce. He stated there are many government programs that can help those who drop out of their profession and retire early, but the government does not see a reason to encourage all construction workers to work fewer years. He added that most of these workers are foreign workers and there is no reason for Israeli citizens to pay their pension.

MK Agbaria disagreed with Cohen’s numbers and estimates. He recalled his celebrations of May Day this year and how the capitalistic government people mocked him. He said that he should not have expected anything more of this anti-worker government.

The bill was defeated 11-42.

Amendment to the Druze Court

MK Shnaan (Independence) explained this amendment has the support of all Druze representatives in the Knesset: MK Amar (Y.B.), MK Naffaa (Balad), MK Whbee (Kadima) and Deputy Minister Kara (Likud). He said the amendment would add Knesset representatives to the Druze court appointments committee. He revealed the government has decided not to give an opinion on the bill.

The bill passed its preliminary reading 36-3 and was sent to the House Committee.

Amendment to the Powers to Protect Public Safety Bill

MK Levi-Abekasis (Y.B.) explained her amendment would erase the criminal records of most minors after they complete their full army service. She stressed that serious criminals will not enjoy the benefits of this bill. She said combat soldiers should be allowed to get a gun license and work in security after their service.

Homeland Security Minister Aharonovitch (Y.B.) expressed government support for the bill.

The bill passed its preliminary reading 39-0 and was sent to the Labor Committee.

Amendment to the Prison Ordinance Bill

MK Amnon Cohen (Shas) explained the amendment would allow the Interior and Environment Committee Chairman to make official visits to any and every jail in Israel.

Homeland Security Minister Aharonovitch expressed government support for the bill.

The bill passed its preliminary reading 37-0 and was sent to the Interior Committee.

Amendment to the Penal Code Bill

MK Herzog (Labor) explained the amendment would prohibit the exclusion of women in the public domain. He slammed the events in Bet Shemesh where women were persecuted, discriminated against and excluded. He said that the time has come to outlaw those who exclude women or prevent them from singing in front of men or walking next to men. He said that red lines need to be set.

Justice Minister Neeman expressed government opposition to the bill. He said that a five year jail sentence for excluding women is excessive and the bill does not define excluding women clearly. He stated the way to deal with the problem is not in the penal code.

MK Herzog objected to Neeman’s statement that he wrote a bill that is full of technical loopholes and loose clauses. He quoted Minister Mofaz (Kadima), who said he would support this bill before he joined the government. He got into a screaming match with MK Zeev (Shas) and told him not to lecture him on religion.

The bill was defeated 15-26.

Three Kadima MKs (Abesadze, Tiviaev, and Yoel Hasson) voted against the coalition position and supported the bill.

Amendment to the State Education Bill

MK Sarsur (R.T.) explained his amendment would mandate Arab representation of at least 25% in all education committees. He noted that currently there are only two Arabs in all of the education committees. He said it is impossible to help the Arab public school system if the people advising the minister are not Arab.

Deputy Education Minister Moses expressed government opposition to the bill on the grounds that affirmative action for one group will discriminate against other groups and might cause the politicization of these committees.

The bill was defeated 12-26.

Marriage and Divorce Bill

MK Horowitz (Meretz) said his original bill would enable civil marriage in Israel. He slammed the Rabbis for deciding who can marry and who cannot. He confirmed this bill would also allow gay marriage. He noted that civil marriage is recognized if it is done outside of Israel, so this whole Jewish marriage thing is a farce. He quoted President Obama, who supports gay marriage.

Justice Minister Neeman said the government is against the bill because it wasn’t submitted to the Ministerial Committee of Legislative Affairs.

MK Gal-On (Meretz) said this important Meretz bill will one day get passed. She attacked the government and the Justice Minister. She slammed orthodox Rabbis and called them extreme. She called for separation of religion from state.

The bill was defeated 11-39.

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This was the Knesset Jeremy English translation protocol of the Knesset’s May 16, 2012, session.

Official protocol in Hebrew: http://www.knesset.gov.il/plenum/data/02371412.doc#_Toc325009701

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