Outrage After Knesset Speaker Backs Civil Marriage Bill, Stripping Rabbinate’s Authority

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana (Likud) sparked an uproar among the Charedi factions on Wednesday after voting in favor of an opposition-backed bill to legalize civil marriages in Israel. The move drew swift condemnation from Shas, United Torah Judaism, and their affiliated factions.

Since the founding of the state, Israel’s longstanding status quo has been that the Chief Rabbinate oversees all marriages, a framework fiercely defended by the Charedi parties. Ohana’s vote was therefore seen by them as a direct challenge to that arrangement.

United Torah Judaism Chairman MK Yitzchak Goldknopf sharply criticized both the government and Ohana, saying: “The Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu continues to violate all the agreements and understandings with the Charedi sector.”

Goldknopf went further, accusing the speaker of breaching core commitments. “Today, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana went a step further by voting for a bill that totally tramples our holy Torah contrary to previous understandings and the historic pact between the Likud and the haredi parties that was based on preserving the values of Jewish tradition,” he said.

The Degel Hatorah faction of United Torah Judaism also issued a blistering response. “Amir Ohana did an unconscionable act and supported the opposition’s civil marriage bill, in violation of the agreement between the Likud and UTJ to maintain the status quo. The mistake we made by obliging to the Likud’s request by supporting him as Knesset Speaker, will not happen again.”

Shas joined the criticism with an official statement condemning the vote. “Shas expresses harsh protest of the Knesset Speaker’s vote for the bill that harms the institution of marriage according to the laws of Moses and Israel, in total contradiction to the coalition’s position.”

The party warned of broader consequences as well. “This is a law that constitutes a grave breach of Israel, one that could undermine the foundations of the Jewish identity of the State of Israel. The vote by the Speaker of the Knesset together with the opposition on such a sensitive and fundamental issue is a serious provocation, proving that he is unfit for his role as Speaker of the Knesset of the religious camp,” Shas said.

Likud MK Dan Illouz pushed back against the Charedi criticism, defending Ohana’s stance. “A reminder for those who got confused: Likud is a nationalist and liberal party, Zionist and traditional, not a branch of Degel Hatorah.”