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Matan Kahana

MK Orit Farkash-Hacohen poses for a picture at a home in Jerusalem, June 9, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
July 24, 2025, 4:48 pm
In latest blow to Gantz, MK Farkash-Hacohen resigns from Blue and White
Centrist lawmaker hopes to join forces with Gadi Eisenkot, says she won’t resign from Knesset as her seat would go to coalition party that Blue and White was previously allied with
By Sam Sokol
MK Gadi Eisenkot en route to a press conference after announcing his resignation from the Knesset and his departure from the National Unity party, in Tel Aviv, July 1, 2025. (Erik Marmor/Flash90)
July 1, 2025, 11:54 pm
After quitting Knesset, Eisenkot says he is working to build a ‘governing alternative’
Says Netanyahu must resign because of October 7; MK Matan Kahana, who has followed Eisenkot out of National Unity party, says he will try to broker an alliance with Bennett
By Sam Sokol
Illustrative: Anti-government protesters and police stand next to the Jerusalem Rabbinate and Religious Council, May 4, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
December 20, 2024, 1:58 pm
Critics charge new regulations will hand Shas control over municipal rabbinates
‘They will actually control all the local rabbinates, all the local rabbis in Israel,’ says Rabbi David Stav from the liberal Tzohar rabbinic group
By Sam Sokol
Ultra-Orthodox children at a cheder in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Mea Shearim, March 5, 2022. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
November 3, 2024, 5:48 pm
Bill guaranteeing daycare subsidies to Haredi draft evaders advances to Knesset vote
Ministers vote in favor of legislation that Attorney General’s Office says constitutes ‘state and institutional encouragement’ for ultra-Orthodox evasion of military service
By Jeremy Sharon and Sam Sokol
Religious Services Minister Michael Malkieli attends a session ain the Knesset plenum, April 15, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
August 28, 2024, 9:58 pm
After ‘Rabbis Law’ stymied, Shas minister advances appointments of municipal rabbis
Michael Malkieli’s spokesman says he doesn’t believe Haredi party ditched effort to pass bill despite Ben Gvir’s opposition, but ‘there’s an understanding’ it can’t clear Knesset
By Sam Sokol
Members of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee debate a measure on funding local religious councils, July 2, 2024. (Dani Shem-Tov/Knesset)
July 2, 2024, 10:25 pm
New bill on funding religious councils raises concerns over revival of Rabbis Bill
‘They are basically asking for a blank check to appoint rabbis as they see fit,’ says Rabbi Seth Farber; Shas MK argues bill ‘not connected at all’ to the controversial legislation
By Sam Sokol
MK Eli Dallal leads a joint meeting of the Special Committee for the Rights of the Child and the Special Committee for Combating Drug and Alcohol Abuse at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on April 19, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
June 17, 2024, 3:21 pm
Likud MKs slam revival of bill expanding Chief Rabbinate’s influence
MK charges Religious Zionism party reintroduced bill ‘like thieves in the night’; it would create hundreds of publicly funded jobs for Orthodox rabbis, erode women’s role
By Sam Sokol
This combination photo shows US President Joe Biden, left, on March 8, 2024, in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, October 28, 2023. (AP Photo)
May 9, 2024, 4:44 pm
‘Dangerous for Israel’: Critics slam government’s handling of US ties amid arms row
The growing rift between Jerusalem and Washington over how to manage the war in Gaza has led to grumbling among both opponents and members of the governing coalition
By Sam Sokol
MK Matan Kahana poses for a picture in Moshav Beit Gamliel, on July 9, 2023.(Yossi Aloni/Flash90)
March 21, 2024, 7:50 pm
National Unity’s Kahana: We’re not using Haredi draft to try and bring down coalition
But lawmaker insists the ultra-Orthodox must do national service, and doubles down on criticism of ‘worst government’ in Israeli history
By Sam Sokol
Coalition lawmakers crowd around Justice Minister Yariv Levin to take a celebratory selfie in the Knesset plenum, as they pass the first of the coalition's judicial overhaul laws, the so-called "reasonableness law", on July 24, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
January 2, 2024, 1:25 am
Levin declares High Court ‘won’t stay our hand’ after justices annul overhaul law
Justice minister sets up potential standoff between government branches as coalition supporters fume; Gantz says decision must be respected
By ToI Staff and Jeremy Sharon
Family members and friends of those missing and held captive in Gaza mark, on November 6, 2023, 30 days since their loved ones were abducted on October 7, 2023, by Hamas terrorists. (Courtesy)
November 6, 2023, 11:19 pm
‘We feel choked by the sadness’: Hostages’ loved ones mark 30 days with Knesset rally
Family members of those abducted to Gaza slam the government, urge it to act, and demand no humanitarian aid to Strip without release of captives
By Jessica Steinberg
Then-defense minister Benny Gantz and then-outgoing prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in the Knesset plenum, June 13, 2021. (Noam Moskowitz/Knesset)
August 18, 2023, 4:43 pm
Gantz said to rule out unity coalition with Netanyahu, while some in party back idea
National Unity’s Matan Kahana reportedly suggested partnership at faction meeting a few weeks ago, drawing support from at least 3 MKs but objections from party chief
By ToI Staff
MK Ofir Katz, chairman of the Knesset House Committee, leads a hearing, March 12, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
August 17, 2023, 5:07 pm
Coalition whip: We’ll pass IDF draft law next, then continue with judicial overhaul
Likud MK Ofir Katz says issue of Haredi enlistment needs to be ‘settled’ as reports emerge of ultra-Orthodox parties pushing for pause on shakeup of judiciary
By ToI Staff
File: Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau (L) and Sephardi Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef convene an emergency meeting against a new proposal to overhaul the conversion to Judaism system, on June 3, 2018. (Courtesy of the Chief Rabbinate spokesperson)
May 25, 2023, 9:41 am
As demand for Orthodox Jewish conversion soars, the number of successful cases dips
The government’s protracted process is not appealing to most of the half-million Israelis who are not recognized as Jewish by the Rabbinate
By Canaan Lidor
Israelis protest against the government, in Tel Aviv, on January 7, 2023. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)
January 13, 2023, 3:48 pm
To succeed, anti-government protests need to draw religious moderates
Criticism of the coalition’s radical policies is growing even among those who voted for it; organizers of Saturday’s demos must not alienate those vital potential supporters
By Shalom Yerushalmi
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