Israeli Parliament Rejects Law to Block Red Cross Visits to Nukhba Prisoners Amid Haredi Boycott

The Israeli Knesset plenary rejected in a first reading a proposed law aimed at preventing representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross from visiting Nukhba terrorists imprisoned in Israel and restricting information transfer to them. The vote took place on Monday evening and ended with 41 opposing and 36 supporting votes. The bill's failure was largely due to the boycott of the vote by Haredi parties, who abstained amid disputes over advancing their own legislative demands.

Coalition chairman Ofir Katz urged the opposition not to oppose the bill, calling it "extremely important for Israel's security," warning that without it, "the Nukhba terrorists will receive assistance." Shas party members claimed they intended to support the bill but requested postponing the vote until Wednesday, blaming Itamar Ben-Gvir for insisting on holding the vote immediately. Ben-Gvir countered that delaying the vote would render the bill irrelevant and accused Shas of harming Israel's security.

The parliamentary session saw tensions escalate, including near physical confrontation between Ayman Odeh and Ofir Katz. The bill's rejection means it cannot be brought back for a vote for another six months. This development follows heightened security concerns and recent arrests related to the Nukhba unit, a Palestinian terrorist group.