Israeli government resumes debate on repealing 'Grandchild Clause' in Law of Return: 'Liberman brings in gentiles'

The government has renewed its debate on the bill to repeal the “Grandchild Clause” in the Law of Return, as was reported on Kan 11's evening news on Wednesday.

In recordings from this week’s discussion, one lawmaker charged, “[Yisrael Beitenu head Avigdor] Liberman brings in gentiles to receive an absorption basket.”

With the return from the Knesset recess, the government is resuming the debate on MK Avi Maoz’s proposal to repeal the “grandchild clause,” which currently allows anyone with at least one Jewish grandparent to immigrate to Israel under the Law of Return. The goal, proponents say, is to prevent someone whose only Jewish ancestry is a single grandfather from making aliyah.

At the start of the week’s session, Deputy Minister Uri Maklev explained, “It could be someone who goes to church every Sunday with their parents, then comes along and says they want to enter as a Jew.”

Minister Zeev Elkin interjected, “The Law of Return today actually prevents the entry of someone like that, if there is such information about them. No amendment is needed for that.”

Maklev replied, “But if the only indication is the grandfather – and not the grandmother – so that they aren’t actually Jewish even in the third generation, and they come here and enter the country.”

At that point, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi added, “This historic compromise was meant to help grandchildren who are persecuted because of their Judaism. No one dreamed full-fledged gentiles would come in - not fleeing persecution but for economic reasons – who Liberman brings in and who get an absorption package under the Law of Return and then go back home after two days.”

MK Avigdor Liberman responded to these remarks in a post on 𝕏, writing, “7,000 soldiers in active service whose fathers or grandfathers were Jewish have enlisted for the state, fight and defend us, and dozens of them fell in Operation Iron Swords. In their actions, they’ve proven they are far more Jewish than any draft dodger who undermines Israel’s security.”

MK Vladimir Beliak of Yesh Atid also responded, “Forty immigrant soldiers were killed in the war, over 400 were wounded. At least 18 immigrant civilians were killed, and five were taken hostage in Gaza. Hamas terrorists did not ask which clause these immigrants came under. None of this stops Karhi from slandering the immigrant public. But Karhi, as we know, is a racist and anti-semite. Shame on the rest of the Likud members (yes, that includes you, Zeev Elkin) who share his racist, pathetic government.”

To date, most coalition parties support repealing the clause in principle, provided that the legislative changes cannot later be used to facilitate immigration of the Palestinian population, as Justice Minister Yariv Levin explained in the recordings we aired.

“Broadly speaking, there’s no doubt this clause is often exploited in ways far removed from what we intended. The main problem, and I have to tell you, is in enacting any amendment to the Law of Return. This precedent is very dangerous and highly problematic,” Levin said.

In practice, the only significant brake on changing the law right now is the coalition agreement granting Gideon Sa’ar’s faction a veto until he officially joins the Likud.

In this week’s discussion, Minister Elkin used Sa’ar’s veto in his name, delaying the debate by two months in hopes of reaching an agreement. However, Sa’ar’s veto right is set to expire once he joins the Likud, and without it, the bill is expected to enjoy a clear coalition majority.

In November 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that widows of children or grandchildren of Jews are also entitled to immigrant status under the Law of Return – even if the spouse themselves was not Jewish but was deemed a “return-eligible” person.

The justices decided this by a narrow 4–3 majority, overturning the position of the state and the Population and Immigration Authority.