Israel's coalition at odds over Passover ruling

Coalition whip Idit Silman blasts Health Minister Horowitz over decision to allow chametz in hospitals, calling it 'personal offense and a contempt for coalition members'
i24NEWS|
The Jewish spring festival of Passover, which commemorates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, traditionally brings with it the debate over chametz, or flour products, which Jews are forbidden to eat during the festival.
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  • The holiday underlines the tensions over the separation of religion and state.
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    ח"כ עידית סילמן
    ח"כ עידית סילמן
    Coalition whip Idit Silman
    (Photo: The Knesset)
    But this year, with simmering differences between the various different elements of the current eclectic coalition in Israel, the debate over Passover rules risks spurring further political instability.
    Coalition whip MK Idit Silman from Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's Yamina party on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz over his intention to allow chametz into hospitals during Passover.
    "People in the Holocaust fasted on Passover so as not to eat chametz, and a minister in the State of Israel within a coalition like ours, unfortunately, intends to introduce chametz," Silman said.
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    ניצן הורוביץ
    ניצן הורוביץ
    Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz
    (Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch)
    "Beyond being a personal offense and a contempt for coalition members, it is a contempt for almost 70 percent of the Israeli public," she continued. "The people of Israel have certain values that entire generations have died over, and we in the current government will not be part of their overthrow and we must respect the public."
    As prohibited in the Torah, Jews are not allowed to eat, sell or benefit from chametz, which means any product with leavening agents, or simply put, anything flour-related during the eight days of Passover.
    In the State of Israel, there is a law that stipulates that during the holiday, a business owner "shall not publicly display a chametz product for sale or consumption."
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    Matzah
    Matzah
    Matzah
    (Photo: Shutterstock)
    But the point of contention is what happens in public spheres such as hospitals where not everyone observes this tradition but can't purchase chametz products.
    According to a Supreme Court ruling, hospitals are obliged to respect the entire public with strict adherence to the principles of freedom of religion, equality and human dignity without harm and without coercion. In sum, the ruling concludes that chametz can enter hospital premises during Passover.
    Horowitz said he simply reminded hospitals of that ruling ahead of the holiday.

    Reprinted with permission from i24NEWS.
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