A private member’s bill by Uri Avneri, the maverick MK of Haolam Hazeh, calling for general civil marriage and divorce was overwhelmingly voted down by the Knesset last night. The vote was 113-3, with four abstentions. Avneri’s only supporters were Shalom Cohen of Haolam Hazeh and one of the three representatives of the pro-Moscow Rakach Communists. Abstaining were two members of Mapam (the rest of the faction voted against the bill), and two of the State List. The government’s case in favor of retaining halachic marriage and divorce was argued by Religious Affairs Minister Dr. Zerach Warhaftig.
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