During Knesset plenary proceedings on Wednesday, Speaker Amir Ohana voted in favor of a civil marriage bill, triggering sharp backlash from ultra-Orthodox lawmakers. The proposal, submitted by the opposition Yesh Atid party, seeks to establish civil mechanisms for regulating partnerships in Israel, including the creation of a couples registry, procedures for registration, eligibility criteria and frameworks for dissolving civil marriages and removing couples from the registry. The bill would operate alongside Israel’s existing religious marriage systems.
United Torah Judaism Chairman Yitzhak Goldknopf fiercely criticized the move, accusing the Netanyahu-led government of continuing to violate all agreements and understandings with the ultra-Orthodox community. He said Ohana went a step further by supporting legislation that he described as a blatant assault on Jewish law, contrary to prior understandings and the historic alliance between Likud and the ultra-Orthodox parties, which he said was based on preserving Jewish tradition.
The Degel HaTorah faction, the Lithuanian wing of United Torah Judaism led by Knesset lawmaker Moshe Gafni, also condemned the vote. Party officials said Ohana committed an unacceptable act by backing an opposition-sponsored civil marriage bill in violation of agreements to preserve the religious status quo. They added that their decision to support his appointment as Knesset speaker would not be repeated.
Ohana was the first openly gay right-wing member of the Knesset and the first openly gay person to be appointed as a government minister. He and his husband have two children born through a surrogate mother in the U.S.
Tensions between the ultra-Orthodox parties and the coalition had already been rising. Agudat Yisrael said it attempted to persuade Shas and Degel HaTorah to jointly oppose or abstain in order to defeat the bill. Party officials argued the legislation was unrelated to core ultra-Orthodox interests and questioned why Haredi factions repeatedly come to the prime minister’s aid on issues they see as irrelevant to their community, while he is not fully committed to their needs.
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United Torah Judaism Chairman Yitzhak Goldknopf Knesset lawmaker Moshe Gafni
(Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)
Shas also issued a strong protest against Ohana’s vote, saying he supported legislation that undermines the institution of marriage under Jewish law, in direct opposition to the coalition’s position. The party said the bill creates a dangerous breach that could erode the Jewish identity of the state, and argued that Ohana’s alignment with the opposition on such a fundamental issue amounted to a grave provocation demonstrating he is unfit to serve as Knesset speaker for the religious camp.
Likud member of Knesset Dan Illouz came to Ohana’s defense, writing that Likud is a national, liberal, Zionist and traditional party — not an extension of Degel HaTorah. He said Ohana faithfully represents the party’s values and voted with full authorization under an arrangement known to all. Illouz said the attacks by the ultra-Orthodox parties were aimed at embarrassing Ohana and stressed that Likud, as the largest coalition party, represents a public committed to a Zionist, traditional and inclusive path.
Yesh Atid lawmaker Yorai Lahav-Hertzanu, who initiated the civil marriage bill, said the defeat of his proposal was further proof that Israel’s current government is the most homophobic in the country’s history. He said that in the next government, opponents of LGBTQ rights would sit in the opposition, while civil marriage legislation would be passed to ensure equal rights for the LGBTQ community.
The article was prepared with contributions from Amir Ettinger and Moran Azulay.