Culture minister vows to pass ‘culture loyalty’ bill despite coalition rebels

Culture Minister Miri Regev says the coalition will succeed in passing legislation giving herself power to withhold public funding for cultural organizations “that are working against the principles of the state,” despite two of its MKs saying they will vote against the bill.

Responding to Kulanu MK Rachel Azaria and Likud MK Benny Begin’s announced opposition, Regev says “we will pass the law without them,” and calls on Yisrael Beytenu chair Avigdor Liberman to fulfill a previous vow to support the bill.

“The national camp will not forgive you for this. You as a former defense minister know that toppling this law will be a reward for terrorism.” she says after Yisrael Beytenu said its MKs will consider voting in favor of the bill only if its own bill to make it easier for Israel to sentence convicted Palestinian terrorists to death is advanced by the coalition.