Israel's Bill Banning LGBT Conversion Therapy Passes Initial Vote - i24

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THE RUNDOWN | A bill against the "gay conversion therapy" cleared Wednesday a preliminary reading in the Knesset (Israel Parliament), edging closer to becoming law.



The bill, which renders the contentious practice illegal, won the support of multiple Blue and White lawmakers, who broke ranks with the ruling coalition to vote for it.


Also casting their votes in favor of the bill were the two Labor lawmakers, who are also part of the coalition, and Public Security Minister Amir Ohana, an openly homosexual member of the Likud party, chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.


The move was not lost on the ultra-Orthodox parties within the ruling coalition, drawing their fury and prompting them to lash out at them for not voting in accordance with the directives.


"You will not get to be the prime minister!" they shouted at Benny Gantz, Defense Minister and Alternative Prime Minister, who told the lawmakers with his Blue and White party to vote in support of the bill in a breach of the coalition agreement.


According to Channel 12, United Torah Judaism and Shas, two ultra-Orthodox parties within the coalition, are planning to boycott all upcoming votes in the Knesset until further notice.


This potentially jeopardizes another contentious law set for a plenum vote on Wednesday -- the so-called "coronavirus law," which gives the government greater power in enforcing restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.


For Gantz, a ban on conversion therapy was one of the major platform points in the run-up to the elections.