The Knesset plenum will vote on a law on Monday that would expand the power of rabbinical courts in Israel to act as arbitrators in limited civil matters, drawing sharp criticism from the opposition for advancing the controversial legislation during wartime.
The bill was discussed in the Knesset plenum for hours late into Monday evening before the final second and third readings. If it passes both readings, it will become law.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) sharply criticized the government for the timing of the bill's advance and warned that it would destroy the country's status quo.
“Today, March 23, 2026, is the day the status quo died. There is no longer any status quo on matters of religion and state," Lapid said during a press conference at the Knesset on Monday ahead of the vote.
“It ends today because, in the middle of a war, after the coalition promised to bring forward only legislation related to the war, the ultra-Orthodox extorted from them overnight legislation granting rabbinical courts arbitration powers equivalent to those of civil courts."
'It’s called a halachic state'
"There is a name for this, when rabbis are given the powers of the courts: it’s called a halachic state," he added.
“The ultra-Orthodox told us today, you are our cash cow, and we will exploit every opportunity. The war is an opportunity to take even more," he said.
The opposition leader also criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling Likud Party, saying it was "behaving like a doormat" for the haredim (ultra-Orthodox).
The timing of the vote on the bill also comes shortly before the final readings of the 2026 state budget, which the coalition must pass by next week at the latest. By law, if the budget does not pass by the end of the month, the Knesset will dissolve, and early elections will be triggered.
During the state budget’s first reading in January, haredi parties – Shas and United Torah Judaism – had threatened to vote against it if they did not receive various concessions. This led to a coalition crisis until agreements were reached, allowing the budget to ultimately pass its first reading.
The Rabbinic Courts Arbitration Bill was initiated by MK Moshe Gafni and former MK Yisrael Eichler of the United Torah Judaism party (UTJ), as well as MKs Ya’akov Asher and Yinon Azoulay from the Shas Party.
Rabbinical courts would only be able to act as arbitrators if all sides agreed, the proposal states. The bill’s explanatory notes state that, for many years, rabbinical courts have handled civil disputes by mutual consent of the parties, until it was determined that they lacked the authority to adjudicate them.
The Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee decided to exclude from the scope of arbitration in the bill any criminal or administrative matters, as well as proceedings in which the state or a local authority was a party. Matters involving married couples or formerly married couples were also excluded.
However, the bill does permit arbitration in disputes concerning child custody.
Critics and women's organizations have expressed concern that women’s rights could be harmed due to the nature of the rabbinic courts.
Critics have also warned of broader democratic implications, arguing that the legislation may deepen division between the haredi community and the rest of Israeli society.
The head of the Knesset Committee on the Status of Women and Gender Equality, Meirav Cohen (Yesh Atid), spoke in the plenum about the risk the bill poses to women ahead of the vote.
'Rabbinical courts are not egalitarian'
She said that rabbinical courts are not egalitarian because Jewish law (halacha) itself is not.
At another press conference on Monday, Yisrael Beytenu leader MK Avigdor Liberman also slammed the government for advancing the bill during the war.
“Today, while millions of citizens are running to shelters several times a day, while residents of the north hear real sirens on average every 22 minutes, on this very day, the Knesset is set to debate the ‘most important’ issue for the State of Israel: expanding the powers of the rabbinical courts,” he said.
“This is absolute madness and a moral bankruptcy. I don’t understand how the leaders of the coalition manage to fall asleep at night,” Liberman added.
Blue and White Party leader MK Benny Gantz also sharply criticized the move on Monday.
“While millions of citizens are jolted awake by sirens in the middle of the night and head down to shelters with their neighbors, we will sit here with our neighbors from the coalition in the plenum and deal with the arbitration law, intended to give more power to the rabbinical establishment,” he said.
He slammed the government for advancing controversial bills during the war and called for the upcoming Knesset recess, which begins on Tuesday and lasts until May, to be shortened.
"I think the recess should be shortened, and discussions related to supporting the home front and the security system should continue," Gantz said.
Coalition whip Ofir Katz criticized the opposition later on Monday evening, saying that it was focusing on attacks and overlooking additional bills that the coalition is expected to pass this week. He said the bills would benefit reservists, evacuees, workers, business owners, state security, and more.