MK Moshe Gafni (Degel HaTorah) presented the Basic Law: Torah Study at a Knesset Committee session on Sunday, stating that Torah study has preserved the Jewish people throughout history, as reported by journalist Daphna Liel (N12). The presentation follows the bill's earlier approval by the Ministerial Committee and a preliminary Knesset vote.
MK Moshe Gafni (Degel HaTorah) formally presented the Basic Law: Torah Study at the Knesset Committee on Sunday morning, asserting that Torah study has preserved the Jewish people throughout history, as reported by N12's Daphna Liel. Gafni's statement — 'Torah study preserved the Jewish people' — aligns with his earlier defense of the bill during its preliminary reading on Wed Jun 10, when he called Torah study 'the anchor of salvation for the Jewish people in exile.' The presentation followed the committee's marathon hearing that began at 07:53 Jerusalem, itself preceded by a session at the same time in which Gafni demanded a binding commitment from the committee chair before agreeing to a vote. The bill, which would grant equal legal status to Torah learners alongside IDF servicemembers, passed a preliminary Knesset reading in June and received Ministerial Committee approval on Tue Jun 9.
As The Zioneer has reported, the bill's coalition progress has been marked by repeated delays and internal opposition. Likud MK Dan Illouz called it 'a spit in the face of the serving public' on Sat Jun 27. Prime Minister Netanyahu met with Gafni on Mon Jun 8 to secure votes. The bill's journey has been tracked since Daphna Liel's first report on Mon Jun 8 of a draft granting equal rights to Torah learners and servicemembers.
The exact timeline for a committee vote or a Knesset plenum vote remains unclear. The bill's coalition path has faced hurdles and the nature of any formal commitment from the committee chair has not been specified.
4 developments
- StrongGafni: Torah study was the 'anchor of salvation' for the Jewish people in exile
- StrongGafni demands binding commitment from Knesset Committee before Torah Study Basic Law vote
- StrongNetanyahu meets Gafni to secure votes for Torah Study Basic Law
- StrongKnesset Committee approves transfer of Torah Study Basic Law; legal adviser opposes
Source and signal
- Internal intake