Legislation to Stop Kosher Phones Reform Plan Passed

The opposition succeeded in defeating Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s coalition in a vote on Wednesday on two bills in the Knesset.

Legislation stopping Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel’s kosher phones reform plan passed in a preliminary reading by a vote of 57 MKs in favor – including several MKs from the coalition – to 43.

Shas MK Moshe Arbel said during the presentation of the law, that: “Minister Yoaz Hendel will come up soon and explain to us how much we, the chareidim, do not understand what is really good for us and what we need.

“The claims about high prices [on kosher phones] are also nonsense. It must be that apart from the intention of the Reform behind the law, to harm the chareidi community, as there is no other intention and purpose in the law.

“Just as the reform of the Minister of Communications will not harm anyone except the chareidi sector, so the bill I am raising will not harm anyone, other than to benefit the private consumer who wants to have only kosher content [on their phone]. On the other hand, the Minister of Communications came up and insulted the Rabbanim and the committee that were established by the Gedolei HaTorah.”

Another bill, the tax bill, sponsored by Likud MK Galit Distal Atbaryan passed by a vote of 51-50.

The opposition is expected to have more victories in the plenum on Wednesday because of multiple rebellions in the coalition.