David Rotem
Photo: Yaron Brener
Legislation Committee rejects loyalty bill
Ministerial committee stops Yisrael Beiteinu amendment to Citizenship Act linking it to pledge of allegiance to State. 'It's time for sanity to once again become a government component,' says Minorities Minister Braverman
The Ministerial Committee on Legislation rejected Yisrael Beiteinu's loyalty bill Sunday, entering a majority vote against it.
The loyalty bill was meant to be an amendment to Israel's Citizenship Act, and stated that anyone seeking an Israeli citizenship would have to pledge their allegiance to the State of Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people.
Other sections of the amendment demanded the pledge be a prerequisite to getting an Israeli ID and that the interior minister would have the power to revoke the citizenship of those failing to comply.
The bill was opposed by the Likud, Labor, Shas and Habayit Hayehudi members on the committee, with only Yisrael Beiteinu members voting in favor.
"I hope these kinds of motions will never be heard in the government again," Minister of Minority Affairs Avishay Braverman, who voted against the amendment, said Sunday.
"'It's time for sanity to once again become a government component. We should be bolstering moderate forces and fighting radical ones, and quashing this motion is a step in that direction," he added.
The nay vote also means that the bill will not reach the Knesset, but Knesset Member David Rotem (Yisrael Beiteinu), who brought the motion before the committee, will still be able to pursue it as a private bill.
Amnon Meranda and Aviad Glickman contributed to this report
