Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Likud) on Thursday morning spoke about whether the conversion bill pushed by the haredi parties is truly necessary. According to Edelstein, there should not be any issue with allowing municipal rabbis to perform conversions. Edelstein explained that since there is no reason municipal rabbis should not perform conversions, there is also no need for a government-regulated system. "I never understood what the issue is with municipal rabbis making a rabbinical court and performing conversions. If there is a specific issue, we'll deal with it," Edelstein said in a long-distance interview with Kol Barama Radio . "As you know, I am a religious person. I definitely would not pray in an Reform 'non-discriminatory' place, and I have never done so. Nor would I pray in an egalitarian area at the Western Wall. And I have never prayed in a mixed minyan (quorum of 10 required for prayers)." Regarding the decision not to move the entrance to the egalitarian section of the Western Wall near the other sections' entrances, Edelstein said, "With some good will, we will be able to find a political and technical solution, so that each party gets half of what they want and everyone calms down." "We're currently working on next year's budget. The system has stabilized, and I think the government is a good government and it does its work. Everyone can calm down and stop making every issue into an ideological struggle. "I would rather the government serve its citizens, than end up putting all its energy into upcoming elections."
