Israeli court decision to recognize Jewish converts stirs outrage

Occupied Palestine (QNN)- A decision issued by the Israeli Supreme Court to end the monopoly of ultra-Orthodox Jews to allow converting to Judaism sparked a political uproar in the occupation state.

On Monday, the court had ruled that people who convert to Judaism through the Reform and Conservative movements in the occupation state are also Jewish and entitled to become citizens.

“Jews who during their stay in Israel were legally converted in a Reform or Conservative community must be recognized as Jews,” the court wrote in its majority decision.

The decision comes after judicial deliberations that lasted nearly 15 years in the Supreme Court.

The Israeli powerful ultra-Orthodox establishment has held a virtual monopoly on religious matters for Israelis, overseeing life-cycle rituals like weddings and burials and using their political clout to gain influence over matters like immigration. They also consider that Judaism is not a missionary religion and that only those born to Jewish women are Jews.

Benjamin Netanyahu did not comment directly on the court decision, but a statement issued by his Likud party confirmed support for the Orthodox position.

Meanwhile, the channel Kan Tuesday cited the Chief Rabbi of ‘Israel’ David Lau as saying in a statement that those who converted through the reform movement are not Jews, adding that the Supreme Court’s decision will not change that fact.

Also, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri considered the ruling as a major blow to the Jewish character of the state that destroys the status quo of religious affairs in his remarks made to the Jerusalem Post.

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