Religious Services Official Challenged Over Knesset Candidacy

The organization "Atid" filed a petition with the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee demanding the disqualification of Amos Dror, who is slated to run for the Knesset on the Shas party list, placed sixth.

Dror currently serves as the supervisor of the Religious Council in Haifa, a senior public and executive position. According to Israeli law, senior public officials must resign at least 100 days before an election to be eligible to run for the Knesset. The petition asserts that Dror has not met this requirement and continues to hold his position and exercise its powers.

Simultaneously, the organization sent an urgent request to the legal advisor of the Ministry of Religious Services, calling for Dror's immediate suspension and unpaid leave. The law stipulates that a public servant's tenure must end upon their inclusion in a Knesset candidate list and prohibits public servants from participating in election campaigning.

Rabbi Shaul Farber, chairman and founder of Atid, stated that religious services in Israel belong to the public, not any political party. He expressed concern that when a system meant to provide sensitive and honest state services becomes a political springboard, public trust in religious institutions erodes. He emphasized that religious councils must operate with integrity and state loyalty.

Yair Meborach, from Atid's legal department, added that Dror cannot hold both positions, managing religious services for the state by day and campaigning for Shas by night. He highlighted that the law requiring a 100-day resignation period for public servants running for the Knesset was enacted precisely to prevent such improper mixing of roles.