The bill, which has been passed annually for 55 years, was postponed by a week, because Ra’am (United Arab List), Meretz and opposition MKs said they would vote against it.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s governing coalition may not be able to endure if it cannot pass a bill that would extend emergency regulations for Judea and Samaria, Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar (New Hope) warned in an interview with KAN on Tuesday morning.
The bill, which has been passed annually for 55 years, was postponed by a week, because Ra’am (United Arab List), Meretz and opposition MKs said they would vote against it. If the regulations are not extended by the end of June, the civil administration will expire and civilians caught speeding over the Green Line would have to be tried by military courts.
“The game being played by the opposition is not only unprecedented but dangerous,” Sa’ar said. “The government has an obligation to pass routine legal arrangements like this bill. I made that clear to the heads of the parties. A coalition MK who opposes the bill is saying ‘I don’t want this government to continue.'”
Ra’am faction chairman Waleed Taha responded on Twitter by daring Sa’ar, saying he is ready for such a challenge.
One possibility being negotiated is that in return for Ra’am’s support in passing the bill, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked will approve appointments of 35 new imams.
Bereaved brothers and sisters bill
Another bill that has raised controversy would set in law the designation of bereaved brothers and sisters. The opposition, led by Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu, announced on Monday that it would no longer support coalition bills.
But a Likud spokesman said Tuesday that because this bill is a private member bill initiated by New Hope MK Michal Shir and not an official government bill, opposition MKs are free to vote for it, including Netanyahu, who is a bereaved brother himself.
Meanwhile, rebel coalition MK Michael Biton of Blue and White used strong language in criticizing Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli’s public transportation reform plan on Tuesday at a meeting of his Knesset Economics Committee.
“The Transportation Ministry is stealing money from the periphery to give to the rich,” Biton said. “They are displaying wickedness, not justice.”
The Transportation Ministry is stealing money from the periphery to give to the rich
MK Michael Biton
Michaeli said on Monday that the plan makes each kilometer of public transportation cost the same and fixes inequality caused by crooked deals made by her predecessors.