Full Breakdown
UTJ MK Yitzhak Pindrus Condemns Amir Ohana’s Election as Knesset Speaker
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Core Event
United Torah Judaism (UTJ) MK Yitzhak Pindrus, third on the party’s list, publicly denounced the election of Amir Ohana as Knesset Speaker because of Ohana’s affiliation with the LGBT community. Pindrus argued that the vote represented a “mishap” and a “desecration of God’s name,” asserting that the selection lacked the endorsement of the Gedolei Yisrael (the leading Haredi rabbis).
Background & Context
Amir Ohana, a member of the Likud party, is openly gay and was chosen by the Knesset to serve as Speaker during the current term. The decision sparked controversy among Israel’s ultra-Orthodox political factions, who traditionally oppose public appointments of openly LGBT individuals. The Association for LGBTQ Equality in Israel (Aguda) monitors such disputes and advocates for equal representation.
Official Statements & Responses
Pindrus’s criticism was delivered in an interview on the Al HaPerek podcast, where he emphasized that the speaker’s election violated religious norms and lacked rabbinic approval. In response, Nimrod Gorenstein, chairman of Aguda, accused Pindrus of “amplifying hatred” to mobilize votes and highlighted recent anti-gay assaults in Jaffa and Jerusalem. Gorenstein announced that Aguda had filed an official complaint with the Knesset Ethics Committee, seeking disciplinary action against Pindrus for his remarks.
Verbatim Quotes
- “There is one thing that, in my opinion, was a mishap: at the beginning of the term they voted for a Knesset Speaker, and I think there was a desecration of God's name in it. They say that he who takes counsel from the elders does not stumble. I was not a Member of Knesset yet back then, but to the best of my knowledge, they did not receive the approval of the Gedolei Yisrael for this,” — Yitzhak Pindrus
What’s Next
The Ethics Committee’s review of Aguda’s complaint will determine whether Pindrus faces formal sanctions. Both parties have indicated they will continue to press their respective positions as the Knesset’s term progresses.
