Premier Golda Meir’s coalition government appeared threatened today–five months before the national elections–by a dispute between the Labor Party and its National Religious Party partners.
At issue is a private bill introduced in the Knesset by Rabbi Menachem Porush of the ultra-Orthodox Agudat.Israel faction that demands a transfer of the power to determine paternity from the secular courts to rabbinical courts. The Cabinet decided Sunday to oppose the bill, over the protest of NRP members.
Dr. Zerach Warhaftig, the Minister for Religious Affairs insisted that the Cabinet support the measure or at least agree move it to a Knesset committee for a preliminary reading. Justice Minister Yaacov Shimshon Shapiro, of the Labor Party, pointed out that paternity cases have always been within the purview of the secular courts. He said the Porush bill would change the status quo on religious Issues that has been in effect since the state was established. There was no indication how the NRP will act when the bill comes up in the Knesset tomorrow.
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