The resignation of Avi Maoz, a deputy minister in the Israeli government and an ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has brought to the forefront tensions over LGBTQ+ rights and non-Orthodox Judaism in the country. Maoz, known for his homophobic remarks and opposition to LGBTQ+ rights, stepped down citing a lack of support for boosting Jewish identity among Israelis. This move could signal further fractures within Netanyahu’s ruling coalition, which won a parliamentary majority in November 2021.
Maoz’s departure comes amid a larger push by Netanyahu and his allies to advance bills aimed at weakening the Supreme Court and giving politicians greater power over judicial appointments. Critics of the proposed changes argue that they threaten Israel’s democratic institutions and concentrate power in the hands of the government.
Maoz, a Jewish fundamentalist and West Bank settler, has also denied the legitimacy of non-Orthodox Judaism and voiced opposition to Arabs teaching Jewish students in Israeli schools. His resignation highlights the challenges that the LGBTQ+ community and progressive Jewish movements face in Israel, where such groups have long been marginalized.
It remains to be seen how Maoz’s departure will impact the coalition’s future actions and decisions, but it has already drawn attention to the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ rights and pluralism in Israeli society.