Knesset Passes Second Reading of ‘Kosher Phone’ Law for Chareidim

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A new bill aimed at diminishing consumer protections to allow cellphone providers to continue offering restricted plans to the chareidi community has successfully passed its second and third readings in the Knesset with a 60-53 vote. This amendment to the Communications Law legalizes the current practice where carriers offer special subscriptions for the chareidim, marked by distinct digits that identify them as part of these rabbi-approved plans.

These restricted plans are favored by many in the chareidi community who avoid unfiltered internet access. Kosher phones, which lack features like web browsers and messaging apps, come with lower costs as they are used only six days a week.

The new legislation ensures that these subscriptions will not be affected by Israel’s 2005 portability reform, which allowed most subscribers to change carriers or plans while keeping their phone number. The bill’s passage follows a year and a half after Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi reversed the previous government’s reforms intended to integrate chareidi consumers into the mainstream cellphone market.

Chareidi legislators strongly opposed these reforms.

Critics argue that the bill strengthens the control of both rabbis and carriers with financial motives over consumers. Proponents, however, believe it will provide hundreds of thousands of consumers with assurances regarding the quality and integrity of the kosher phone service they receive.

There was uncertainty about the bill’s passage due to National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s prior objections. Additionally, a vote on another bill supported by Shas was postponed until Sunday morning because of Ben Gvir, leading to a dispute between Shas and his Otzma Yehudit party.

After the vote, Elazar Stern, a religious lawmaker from the centrist Yesh Atid party, confronted Shas MK Yinon Azulai, one of the bill’s sponsors, shouting that the new law represents a “chillul Hashem.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

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