Bibi caught between fury of diaspora and Orthodox
IN RESPONSE to pressure from diaspora Jewry, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced last week that a bill to allow conversions only if recognised by the Israeli Chief Rabbinate (even if carried out by private Orthodox rabbinical courts), as demanded by the Charedi parties, would be postponed for at least six months.
Regarding the other major source of tension between Israel and the diaspora, the agreement on prayer areas at the Western Wall, the government has yet to change its position — although the Supreme Court may pre-empt the issue.
Two decisions made last week by the cabinet led to an outcry from leaders of Jewish organisations around the world, particularly those aligned with the Reform and Conservative (Masorti) movements. Under pressure from the Charedi parties Shas and United Torah Judaism, the cabinet approved the amendment to the National Conversion Law that would bring conversion under the official control of the State Rabbinate. In addition, the government “froze” the agreement reached in January 2016 to officially designate the northern section of the Western wall as an area for “mixed”, “egalitarian” or “Progressive” prayers.
At a coalition meeting last Friday, amid warnings of a rift with the diaspora Mr Netanyahu announced that the amendment to the conversion law would first be examined by a special committee, deferring further legislation by six months. In response, the leaders of the Charedi parties stormed out of the meeting.
However, Mr Netanyahu did not change the decision on the Western Wall, partly so as not to anger his coalition partners further, but also because the Supreme Court may soon intervene.
On July 30, the court is scheduled to hold a hearing on a petition from the Reform and Conservative movements, as well as the Women of the Wall group, demanding the agreement be implemented immediately. They are demanding equal rights in the main Kotel Plaza if the deal is not honoured.