MK Shaul Mofaz. Opposes 'Mofaz Bill'
Photo: Dudi Vaaknin
'Mofaz Bill' passes its first reading; PM booed
Kadima members don masks during vote in protest against bill, largely seen as bid to foment division within party. Netanyahu booed by opposition for supporting bill
The Knesset plenum passed the "Mofaz Bill" in its first reading on Monday. The bill, if made into a law, will make it easier for political factions to split.
The bill received 62 votes in favor and 47 votes against in its first reading.
Voting was halted mid-term when Kadima faction members entered the voting area wearing protective masks against pollution in a show of protest against the bill. They were subsequently escorted out of the Knesset plenum by Speaker Alex Miller, who proctored the vote instead of Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, who left the hall in protest of the bill.
The Mofaz Bill, largely seen as a bid to foment a split within the Kadima party, will change the requirements for breaking off from a political faction to form an independent, legally recognized faction. It will allow any seven faction members to create a new faction, instead of the one-third of faction members stipulated by current law. It has been nicknamed the Mofaz Bill because Shaul Mofaz is considered the MK most likely to lead an exodus from Kadima.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was booed by the opposition when he voted in favor of the bill.
Just before the vote took place, Kadima MK Robert Tiviaev entered the Knesset plenum with a bag of masks and distributed them together with MK Yoel Hasson to his colleagues. Despite warnings from Miller, the Kadima members donned the masks.
"We wore these masks to protect against the political stench of Netanyahu's government," said MK Hasson. "True, this isn't a typical parliamentary tool, but the stench emanating from Netanyahu's survival bills necessitated such a drastic step. The entire public knows what kind of horrible smell is seeping out of the Knesset today."
Mofaz himself attacked the bill before the vote, receiving praise from Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni for the move.
