MK Rabbi Gafni: Whoever Has a Problem With an Elected Government Can Move to France

MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism) made it clear once again that Binyamin Netanyahu will not be able to form a new government if the coalition does not guarantee a majority in the Knesset for a law that will allow for the overturning of High Court decisions. And he has also shown little patience for those who are implying that the religious parties – which will hold half of the seats in the expected new coalition – are somehow planning on usurping Israeli democracy.

Known as the override clause, the proposed new law would allow for 61 MKs to vote to overturn a High Court decision that nullified any law passed by the Knesset. The religious parties demand this clause because in this way the coalition can overturn any ruling by the court.

The religious parties have been especially critical of the High Court for its rulings in recent years. For example, the court has voted to overturn military deferments for yeshivah students and also ruled that conversions performed in Israel by non-Orthodox rabbis must be accepted by Israel’s Interior Ministry if the individual convert wishes to acquire Israeli citizenship under the law of return.

“If the Likud is not ready to commit to the passage of the override [clause],” declared Rabbi Gafni, “with a majority of 61 MKs, we have nothing to look for in this government.”

Meanwhile, members of the outgoing coalition have criticized such new laws as undemocratic, pointing to the fact that they would make the High Court irrelevant. But Rabbi Gafni was not bothered by such criticisms.

“Whoever has a problem with the people’s choice [in the elections] can leave for France,” he said.