Bill Paving Way to Top Gov’t Posts for Deri, Smotrich Passes 1st Reading

By Staff, Agencies

Netanyahu-led bloc aims to tweak the “Israeli” entity’s “Basic Laws” to satisfy demands of right-wing, religious ministers-to-be

Bills to allow religious lawmakers Bezalel Smotrich and Aryeh Deri passed early Friday on their first readings in the Knesset, the “Israeli” entity’s parliament.

The bills amend the entity’s “Basic Laws”, which act as the entity’s constitution, aimed at enabling the lawmakers to take office as desired ministers as part of coalition agreements with prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu. While these bills have raised protest among opposition leaders, the 63-52 vote foreshadows the right-wing and religious ministers getting what they want.

Politicians convicted in the past seven years cannot currently serve as ministers. Deri, the head of “Israel's” Sephardic religious Shas party, earlier this year admitted to minor tax offenses in exchange for a suspended sentence of one year, a fine and resignation from the Knesset, although the law is not clear whether this disqualifies him from being a minister.

Deri was also convicted in 1999 of bribery, fraud and breach of trust while he was the entity’s interior minister, serving out 22 months of a three-year sentence.

“Israeli” lawmakers also must vote to create an independent ministry for Religious Zionism's Smotrich within the entity’s War Ministry to allow him to oversee occupied West Bank affairs.

Other bills currently undergoing legislative process would also expand the so-called “national” security ministry's powers, which would grant designate minister and far-right Jewish Power party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir far-reaching control over law enforcement.