Gantz shelves proposed ‘Equality Law’ as MKs oppose it

Blue and White leader Benny Gantz won’t raise a quasi-constitutional bill on equality this afternoon, after a majority of lawmakers announce they won’t support it.

“The Basic Law: Equality” is “aimed to enshrine the right to equality and the prohibition of discrimination,” according to Gantz.

It’s part of a batch of bills opposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud that Blue and White is raising as the short-lived coalition appears poised to collapse.

The others are: “The surrogacy law” which would “evenly expand the circle of those entitled to surrogacy, expand the circle of women who can serve as surrogates and regulate the possibility of surrogacy outside Israel”; and “The Basic Law: The Declaration of Independence,” which would require judges to “interpret all Israeli legislation, including other Basic Laws, in light of the Declaration of Independence as a constitutional document.”

The coalition’s Likud, Derech Eretz, United Torah Judaism, Shas and the opposition’s Yamina say they’ll oppose the Equality Bill.

In response, Gantz temporarily shelves it but says it will be brought to a vote next week.

Bringing the proposals to the Knesset without specific agreement from Likud violates a clause in the coalition agreement between the parties.

Later this afternoon, the Knesset will hold a preliminary vote to dissolve itself and call new elections. The bill would require three additional votes to become law.