UTJ wishes to change the Law of Return because of “the difficulties and loopholes created by the Grandchild Clause.”
https://www.jpost.com/-By ZVIKA KLEIN
Head of the Likud Party MK Benjamin Netanyahu addresses his supporters on the night of the Israeli elections, at the party headquarters in Jerusalem, November 2, 2022.(photo credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)
The Likud Party and its chairman are against changing the Law of Return, as apposed to its coalition partners, a senior advisor to incoming prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told The Jerusalem Post on Friday.
“Despite the pressure from the coalition partners, Netanyahu did not agree to change the Grandchild Clause, but only to establish a committee to discuss the issue,” the senior source told the Post. “There is no commitment to change the law,” the advisor stressed.
“Despite the pressure from the coalition partners, Netanyahu did not agree to change the Grandchild Clause, but only to establish a committee to discuss the issue.”
Senior Likud source
The Likud has also published an official statement regarding the reports that the government will amend the Law of Return and cancel the Grandchild Clause: “The coalition partners demanded to change the Grandchild Clause in the Law of Return, but Netanyahu did not agree [to these demands], therefore it was decided to establish a committee to discuss the issue.”
A new Law of Return?
As reported on Thursday, a new version of the law, that will most probably not include the “Grandchild Clause,” will be brought to a vote in the Knesset by March 31, according to the coalition agreements of the Likud and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) parties.
The clause allows people with at least one Jewish grandparent to immigrate to Israel as long as they do not practice another religion.
The sides also agreed that the text of the bill will be determined within 60 days from the date of the government’s swearing-in by a committee that has representatives from all of the coalition’s parties.
According to Section 53 of the coalition agreement with UTJ, the party has concluded with the government to offer a new law in light of “the need to fulfill the purposes of the Law of Return and bring about the immigration of Jews to Israel” because of “the difficulties and loopholes created by the Grandchild Clause of the Law of Return” and “the need to prevent assimilation in Israel and to prevent misuse.”