Ultra-Orthodox MK Yitzhak Pindrus Faces Ethics Complaint Over Remarks on LGBTQ+ Speaker

Member of Knesset Yitzhak Pindrus, ranked third on the United Torah Judaism list for the 26th Knesset, has drawn criticism and an ethics complaint for comments made in an interview published on October 15, 2026. Pindrus stated that the election of Amir Ohana, an openly gay man, as Speaker of the Knesset at the beginning of the term constituted a "desecration of God's name." The LGBTQ+ Association has filed a complaint against him with the Knesset's Ethics Committee.

Pindrus, a member of the Degel HaTorah faction, remains on the party's list following a September decision not to include veteran lawmakers Moshe Gafni and Uri Maklev. The article also recalls past controversial statements by Pindrus, including a 2022 remark about wanting to "bring a D9 and blow up" the Supreme Court building, a statement he later said he did not regret. He was born in Jerusalem in 1971 and has held various public roles, including mayor of Beitar Illit and deputy mayor of Jerusalem.

In the interview, Pindrus also reiterated United Torah Judaism's stance on not joining a government without a conscription law for yeshiva students and criticized the failure of such a law in the previous Knesset, blaming MK Yuli Edelstein. He also dismissed the idea of Haredi integration into the army and employment, stating that becoming "Israeli" would mean ceasing to be "Haredi."

MK Eitan Ginzburg of the Hatnuah party criticized Pindrus's remarks, interpreting them as indicative of the principles guiding a potential Netanyahu government, specifically regarding the exclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals from key public positions. Nimrod Gorenstein, chairman of the LGBTQ+ Association, condemned Pindrus's comments as hate speech aimed at garnering votes, noting that Pindrus had previously called LGBTQ+ people more dangerous than Hamas. The association's complaint to the Ethics Committee underscores the severity of the situation, with Gorenstein stating there are limits to what a Knesset member can say about citizens.

Pindrus's political career includes multiple Knesset entries and exits, serving as faction chairman and chairman of the Special Committee on Public Petitions. His return to the Knesset in January 2026 was facilitated by a deal involving Prime Minister Netanyahu, reportedly to bolster support for the conscription law. The article details his past roles, including his mayoral terms and his disqualification from running for mayor of Elad due to his center of life not being in the city.