“Who is a Jew”: why Netanyahu froze the bill that could explode Israel’s relations with the diaspora

On May 10, 2026, one of the most sensitive issues of internal politics resurfaced in Israel — who should be considered a Jew for the purposes of the Law of Return. This is not about a theoretical debate among rabbis or an academic discussion, but about a specific legislative initiative that the coalition decided to postpone at the request of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to media reports, the discussion took place at a meeting of the ministerial committee on legislation. This is important: the bill was not brought to a final vote in the Knesset plenum but was delayed precisely at the government stage of advancement. The exact location of the meeting is not specified by the source, but procedurally it involves a committee of ministers that decides whether the government will support a coalition initiative.

The reason for the freeze was stated directly: the topic is considered ‘sensitive and explosive.’ Government Secretary Yossi Fuchs, as reported by the media, explained the position by saying that the Prime Minister is asking to postpone this issue in the midst of war to avoid opening a new front of tension with the Jewish diaspora.

What happened on May 10, 2026

On the agenda was a bill by the head of the Knesset’s Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee, Simcha Rothman from the Religious Zionism party. The initiative concerns the formula ‘Who is a Jew’ and proposes to amend the Law of Return so that only conversion ‘according to Halacha,’ that is, Orthodox conversion to Judaism, is recognized for the purposes of this law.

This is not a new line. Even three months before the current decision, Rothman intended to bring the amendment to the ministerial committee and urged Netanyahu and the ministers to support the change in the law. At that time, it was about adding the principle of ‘כהלכה’ — ‘according to Halacha.’

Now the advancement has stalled again. According to the same source, the discussion was postponed at the direction of Yossi Fuchs, and further talks with the Prime Minister and coalition leaders are planned. This is not a final removal from the agenda, but neither is it a technical pause without political significance.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin, according to the publication, supports the bill itself but does not want to go against Netanyahu’s position. He spoke of a delay of about a month. The wording is important: the coalition has not abandoned the idea, but has merely postponed it — and that is why the topic can return very quickly.

Why this is not an ordinary bill

The Law of Return is one of the symbolic foundations of Israel. It defines not only migration policy but also the state’s connection with Jews worldwide.

In the current formula enshrined in Israeli legislation, a Jew for the purposes of the law is considered a person born to a Jewish mother or who has converted to Judaism, provided they do not belong to another religion. This definition is fixed in the 1970 amendment to the Law of Return.

But the word ‘conversion’ has been a subject of debate for decades. Orthodox parties and the religious-Zionist camp seek for the state to recognize only conversion according to Orthodox rules. Reform and Conservative communities, especially in the USA, perceive such initiatives as a blow to their legitimacy and connection with Israel.

For the Russian-speaking Israeli audience, this issue is also not abstract. Many immigrants from the former USSR came to Israel under the Law of Return but are not always recognized as Jews according to Halacha. Therefore, any change in the formula can be perceived not just as a religious amendment but as a signal about the status of entire families, communities, and generations.

Why Netanyahu asked to postpone the initiative

The main reason is political explosiveness. Israel is in a state of war, society is overloaded with internal conflicts, and relations with the diaspora are of strategic importance.

Yossi Fuchs, conveying the Prime Minister’s position, essentially said: now is not the time to open such a dispute. According to media reports, Netanyahu is asking to postpone the issue precisely ‘in the midst of war’ and thereby support the diaspora’s Jewry.

This is a pragmatic calculation. Israel needs the support of Jewish communities abroad — financial, political, diplomatic, public. Especially in the USA, where a significant part of the Jewish community is not Orthodox.

NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency notes here the key Israeli paradox: within the coalition, there are forces that see the current government composition as a rare opportunity for an ideological leap, but for Netanyahu, such a leap could be too costly on the international and diaspora front.

What Ben-Gvir said

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir opposed the freeze. He called the delay a mistake and stated that the current coalition composition provides a rare opportunity to advance the initiative. According to him, the majority of the coalition almost fully supports the bill, and therefore postponing it is wrong.

This position was also supported by Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman from Likud. This shows that within the right-wing camp, there is not just isolated discontent but pressure on Netanyahu from the right.

For Ben-Gvir, the topic ‘Who is a Jew’ has long been part of his political identity. Even in the past, he demanded the advancement of similar changes and linked them to the fight against the recognition of non-Orthodox conversion. ‘Otzma Yehudit’ previously promoted the idea of an amendment that would limit the recognition of Reform conversion for the purposes of the Law of Return.

Why the issue returned now

The topic has not surfaced for the first time. About six months ago, a similar initiative was promoted by MK Avi Maoz from the Noam party. At that time, the coalition did not allow it to progress further, fearing conflict with the American Jewish diaspora and a broader crisis around the status of non-Orthodox communities.

Now the bill is being advanced by Simcha Rothman — a more systematic and influential player within the right-wing bloc. This makes the story more serious: it is not about a symbolic declaration of a marginal wing, but an attempt to pass a change through the coalition mechanism.

But that is precisely why Netanyahu applied the brakes. For him, the question ‘Who is a Jew’ is not only about religion and not only about law. It is a risk of a split between Israel and part of world Jewry, a blow to relations with American communities, and a new internal conflict at a time when the government is already under the pressure of war.

What might happen next

Formally, it is about a delay of about a month, but this is not a guaranteed period. In Israeli politics, such freezes often mean an attempt to buy time: to conduct negotiations, reduce pressure, check the diaspora’s reaction, and understand if there is a price the coalition is willing to pay.

If the bill returns to the agenda, the dispute will be much broader than the question of the word ‘כהלכה.’ It will affect repatriation, the status of conversion, Israel’s relations with American Jews, Russian-speaking aliyah, coalition discipline, and Netanyahu’s personal ability to keep the right-wing bloc from taking too sharp steps.

Now the Prime Minister has chosen a pause. Ben-Gvir calls it a mistake. Levin says he supports the law but will not go against Netanyahu.

And the topic is already back on the table.

And this means that the question ‘Who is a Jew’ in Israel remains not only a religious dispute but also one of the most dangerous political detonators within the Jewish state.