Opposition grows to "kosher electricity" bill

Under the terms of a new Knesset bill, control of the IEC will be placed in the hands of the rabbinate.

The "kosher electricity" bill being pushed forward by Minister of National Infrastructures Uzi Landau, which would obligate the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) (TASE: ELEC.B22) to operate power stations according to Jewish law (halacha), is drawing growing public criticism.

A Facebook page has been opened calling for a demonstration opposite the Knesset on Wednesday next week (the last day of Hannuka), while an Internet petition has attracted 15,000 signatures in less than two days. The NGO Yisrael Hofshit (Free Israel) which opposes religious coercion organized a demonstration outside Landau's home in Ra'anana on Friday.

The bill being promoted by Landau proposes that control of Israel's electricity grid be under the jurisdiction of the rabbinate and kashrut supervisors be stationed in power plants. In effect, if the bill became law, the rabbinate could decide to halt the entire country's electricity supply. Consumers will also be asked to pay hundreds of millions of shekels extra for the kashrut supervisors and other systems.

The Facebook page opposing the bill says, "Under the terms of the bill, the IEC and private electricity producers will not be allowed to sell electricity without the approval of the rabbinate. As the bill stands, authority for operating or turning off Israel's electricity will be in the hands of the rabbinate. As part of the process, the rabbinate will require a rise in the budget, so as it stands, more taxpayers' money will go to the rabbinate to make electricity kosher."

Published by Globes, Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 18, 2011

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011

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