Voting on a controversial bill that would decriminalize the possession of up to 50 gr. of cannabis or 15 cannabis seeds for individual recreational use was postponed by two weeks on Wednesday, following a stormy debate in the Knesset plenum.
Haskel delivered an impassioned plea to Abbas to support the bill, saying that it would benefit his Israeli Arab constituents. She pointed out that 45% of Arab citizens have used cannabis and 33% of those arrested for possession are Arabs.
Knesset member Michal Woldinger, who has treated thousands of young people in drug rehab centers, delivered an equally emotional address against the bill, which she warned would lead to more people using cannabis.
If someone is found to possess over 50 gr. of cannabis in public, but they can prove that it is meant for their own personal use, they will receive a fine of NIS 2,000 and avoid criminal charges.
While this legislation would still prevent recreational cannabis shops from opening up, the new government sees decriminalization as a necessary first step while they prepare the much more complex legislation needed to create a framework for a legal, recreational cannabis market.
The bill would also allow people to appeal to the attorney-general to retroactively void any criminal records they may have as a result of recreational cannabis use, and reclassify CBD as a food additive.