Ultra-Orthodox fume over coalition’s plan to review religious-secular status quo

UTJ leader Moshe Gafni vows to “topple this evil government” after learning a Religious Services Ministry panel plans to review conversion, kashrut and public transportation on Shabbat.

By Hanan Greenwood, Israel Hayom via JNS

United Torah Judaism lawmakers were enraged to learn on Wednesday that Israel’s new government plans to set up a special committee to review the longstanding religious-secular status quo in Israel.

The panel, set to be formed under the aegis of the Religious Services Ministry, is expected to look into controversial matters such as conversion, kashrut (kosher food supervision), commerce on the weekends and public transportation on Shabbat.

“It turns out that the prime minister doesn’t only break his campaign promises, but also breaks his word in office,” said UTJ lawmaker Uri Maklev, referring to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s statement that the government was unlikely to revisit the issue of the status quo.

UTJ leader Moshe Gafni said in response to the development that “there will be a war for every ‘T’ crossed and ‘I ‘dotted and, God willing, we will topple this evil government.”