Edelstein warns against demands to change Law of Return

Likud MK Yuli Edelstein criticizes his party’s prospective coalition partners for their demand to abolish the so-called grandchild clause in the Law of Return.

Speaking at the Knesset at an event to mark aliyah, or Jewish immigration to Israel, Edelstein, who himself immigrated from the Soviet Union, warns that tampering with the clause could see the demise of the whole Law of Return.

“I hear a lot of talk about the need and demands to change the Law of Return, grandchild clause. I want to say this to you: In five years their will be no Law of Return in Israel and this country will no longer be the state of all its citizens,” he says.

The ultra-Orthodox Shas and United Torah Judaism parties and the far-right Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit parties submitted the request during coalition talks.

The “grandchild clause” in the Law of Return allows anyone with at least one Jewish grandparent to immigrate freely to Israel so long as they do not practice another religion. Many immigrants to Israel from the former Soviet Union obtain citizenship under this clause.