Haim Bibas (chair of the Local Government Center) and Shay Hajaj (head of the Regional Council Center) sharply criticized the kashrut bill advanced by MK Aryeh Deri, calling it a blow to municipal budgets and the services they provide, a statement reported Wednesday by Israel Hayom.
Senior local government officials in Israel publicly opposed the kashrut bill sponsored by Shas chairman MK Aryeh Deri, in a letter reported Wednesday by Ariel Kahana (Israel Hayom). Haim Bibas, chairman of the Federation of Local Authorities, and Shay Hajaj, head of the Regional Council Center, warned that the legislation would drain municipal budgets "in a frenzied race" and harm basic services provided to residents. The letter, addressed to coalition leaders, said the bill raises "concerns that improper considerations are being weighed" and called on lawmakers to halt the initiative. The criticism comes amid broader unrest within the coalition over legislative moves before the upcoming national election. As The Zioneer reported on June 26, Bibas earlier criticized another Likud MK over the party's electoral prospects. The kashrut bill, which would shift oversight of kosher certification from the Chief Rabbinate to local rabbinates, has drawn opposition from both religious and secular quarters. Bibas and Hajaj's statement represents the first formal objection from the local government umbrella body.
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