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Knesset turns its back on MK Rotem's secular marriage bill

The Knesset on Wednesday rejected two bills calling for the state to recognize the rights of couples who did not marry in religious ceremonies.

The bills were proposed by MK David Rotem (Yisrael Beiteinu) and MK Moshe Sharoni (GIL).

59 MKs voted against Rotem's bill, while 20 voted for it. 48 opposed a similar bill proposed by Sharoni, while just 19 voted in its favor.

Rotam said that the failure of several Likud MKs to back the bill constituted a surrender to Shas and a view toward to next coalition.

He also blasted Labor and Kadima MKs who failed to vote in favor of the bill. "Their vote will be remembered as a spit in the face of new immigrants and members of the public advocating freedom in the country. The public will remind them of this on election day," he added.

Meretz said that it opposed the bill because it didn't relate to the rights of same-sex couples.

Originally published by jpost.com