WASHINGTON DC – The Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett could lose his government over a battle about bread.
During Passover, religiously observant Jews abstain from eating hametz, or foods with leavening agents. Within Israel, this is a matter of dispute: many secular Jews believe this should be left up to individual households, while more religious Jews want hametz banned from public spaces. In 2020, the High Court ruled that bans on hametz in hospitals was illegal. This year, the health minister, Nitzan Horowitz, instructed hospitals to follow the court order. This, in turn, prompted Idit Silman, of Bennett’s own Yamina party, to quit the coalition. This has cost Bennett his majority.
Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month
Content from our partners
