Bill to Expand Racism to Include Chareidi Community Preliminarily Approved

​​The Knesset Plenum approved in preliminary reading on Wednesday a bill proposing to expand the definition of racism so that it will include a specific reference to the chareidi community.

The bill, a proposed amendment to the Penal Law, was submitted by MK Rabbi Yaakov Asher (United Torah Judaism), and a bill sponsored by MK Rabbi Yisrael Eichler (United Torah Judaism) was attached to it. In its preliminary reading, the bill was supported by 54 MKs, versus 34 MKs who opposed. It will now be turned over to the House Committee for discussion.

The explanatory notes attached to the bill state, “Recently we have been witnessing an expanding phenomenon of incitement to hatred towards the chareidi population. Particularly severe are the cases in which the incitement is carried out by elected officials with the aim of dividing the people and thereby reaping political gain while harming an entire community and the unity of the people. This harm also has other consequences, including the entrenchment of racism in society towards the chareidi population.”

The explanatory notes further state that “In light of the severe incitement to racism that has been carried out recently by elected officials against the chareidi population, a complaint was filed with the State Attorney’s Office.” In its response, the State Attorney’s Office noted that the existing law defines racist incitement “only in cases in which the racism is due to [skin] color or belonging to a race or national-ethnic group, and the chareidi population is not distinguished by color, race, or national-ethnic origin.

“In this regard, it should be noted that the chareidi population… is distinguished by its clothing and lifestyle, so there is no rationale for excluding it from the provisions of the law,” the explanatory notes read.

“Beyond the fact that the law, in its current wording (based on the interpretation of the State Attorney’s Office), allows incitement to racism against the chareidi population, there is a fear that the State Attorney’s Office’s reply will encourage more cases of racism towards the chareidi population, as the inciters know they will not be held accountable.”