Member of Knesset Avraham Michaeli (Shas) introduced to the Ministerial Committee on Legislation, Thursday, an amendment to the Chief Rabbinate Law that would allow an incumbent to run for re-election. It is being called "The Amar Law" because the first rabbi who would benefit is Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar.
A similar measure passed its preliminary reading in the previous Knesset but was stopped by Chairman David Rotem of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee because of the "personal" nature of the law. It was recently coupled with an amendment to remove the 70-years age limit in a bill by Knesset member Zevulun Kalfa of Habayit Hayehudi (Jewish Home-new National Religious Party) which would have allowed Rabbi Ya'akov Ariel to run for Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi. Kalfa withdrew the proposal when it became clear that the Likud-Beyteinu bloc would only bring about passage of part of the bill.