Religious, Chareidi Parties Upset After Likud Refuses to Back Changes to Right of Return

The religious and chareidi parties were reportedly upset after the Likud informed them that it will not support a proposed amendment to the Right of Return, Reshet Bet reported Wednesday morning.

Following the election, all of the Likud’s future coalition partners called for the removal of the “grandfather clause” in the Law of Return.

Added to the Law of Return in 1970, the amendment enables non-Jews with even one Jewish grandparent – or non-Jews who are married to Jews – to seek Israeli citizenship, totally against the halachic rendering of who is a Jew.

Last month, a Likud official told Channel 13 that this demand could incite the wrath of the Jewish communities in the Diaspora, in particular in the United States and the countries of the former Soviet Union, where many potential immigrants have no connection whatsoever with Judaism other than a single Jewish grandparent.

According to the report, the right-wing bloc has not yet responded to the Likud’s refusal to amend the Right of Return.