Israel: Bill letting Shas leader become minister advances

If passed, this would be a change to a Basic Law, allowing twice convicted for corruption, Aryeh Deri to take up ministerial positions including a rotation at the head of the Finance Ministry
i24NEWS|
Israel's incoming coalition advanced several bills in preliminary votes on Tuesday, including one that will allow the leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party to be a minister despite criminal convictions.
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  • If passed, this would be a change to a Basic Law, allowing Shas leader Aryeh Deri to take up the position of interior and health minister. Deri is also set to become finance minister later in the government's term.
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    איתמר בן גביר ואריה דרעי במליאת הכנסת
    איתמר בן גביר ואריה דרעי במליאת הכנסת
    Aryeh Deri, Itamar Ben-Gvir
    (Photo: AFP )
    The ultra-Orthodox lawmaker resigned from the last parliament (Knesset) as part of a plea deal that saw him admit to minor tax offenses and pay a fine in exchange for a suspended sentence of one year. Current Israeli law bars anyone sentenced to prison within the last seven years from becoming a minister. However, it is vague if this applies to suspended sentences as well.
    Other advanced bills included one expanding the national security minister's authority, a role expected to be taken up by far-right lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir. If passed, the bill would transfer powers from the police to the national security office.
    Before the vote, outgoing Public Security Minister Omer Barlev warned that broadening Ben-Gvir's powers would turn the country into a "police state."
    Additionally, the incoming coalition advanced a bill that would create an independent minister that oversees West Bank building - a role likely given to far-right Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich, who has openly supported annexing the area.
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    הצבעה על יו''ר הכנסת במליאה
    הצבעה על יו''ר הכנסת במליאה
    Benjamin Netanyahu and Aryeh Deri
    (Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch)
    Outgoing Defense Minister Benny Gantz criticized the move: “If the desire is to put the territory under civilian control, do not invent offices and administrations, and apply special laws. Just apply sovereignty and deal with the results."
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