Likud MK Accused of Rape Approved as Knesset Finance Head

Controversial Appointment Sparks Outcry

Lawmakers on the Knesset Finance Committee made a decision that has sparked widespread outrage and debate. On Tuesday, the committee voted 10-7 to appoint Likud Member of Knesset (MK) Hanoch Milwidsky as their new chairman, despite an ongoing police investigation against him on suspicion of rape and witness tampering. This move has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders and women’s rights advocates.

Milwidsky replaced former chairman MK Moshe Gafni, whose United Torah Judaism party left the coalition earlier this month over its failure to pass a law exempting yeshiva students from military service. The committee’s approval of Milwidsky came just minutes after the Knesset House Committee, chaired by coalition whip Ofir Katz (Likud), voted 9-6 to recommend his candidacy.

Strong Reactions from Opposition Leaders

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid strongly condemned the appointment, calling it a “crossing of a red line” and stating that it “normalizes harm to women.” He criticized the coalition for treating suspicion of rape as not a serious issue, saying, “This is a misogynistic coalition that is tearing Israeli society apart.”

Blue and White-National Unity chairman Benny Gantz also expressed strong disapproval, stating that the appointment sends a terrible message to victims of sexual violence. “Have we lost our minds?” he asked in a post on X.

Milwidsky was questioned about allegations that he raped a woman while serving as a legal adviser to the New Age religious association “Bnei Baruch — Kabbalah La’Am.” According to the allegations, he was coaching a woman, identified by the Hebrew initial Aleph, to testify falsely to protect the group’s leader, Michael Laitman, from charges of sexual assault. During their meetings, Aleph told police that Milwidsky raped her.

The Likud lawmaker, who was endorsed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has denied any wrongdoing. His party has cast the investigation as a witch hunt, claiming it is retaliation for its attempts to remove the attorney general.

Female Lawmakers Speak Out

Ahead of the vote, female opposition lawmakers delivered a joint statement condemning Milwidsky’s candidacy. Blue and White-National Unity MK Pnina Tamano-Shata called on the coalition, Israeli women, and “first and foremost” Netanyahu to “stop the appointment.”

Tamano-Shata, who chairs the Knesset Committee on the Status of Women and Gender Equality, said, “Do not drag the Knesset and yourselves to a new low.” Efrat Rayten of the Democrats called the appointment “not only a moral disgrace but a black flag waving over the legitimacy of the government’s continued tenure.” Yesh Atid MK Merav Ben-Ari argued that the thought of Milwidsky being suspected of rape should disturb every member of the Knesset.

Ben-Ari added, “The shocking testimonies disqualify MK Milwidsky from any position. Every member of the Knesset should ask themselves, if Hanoch were being investigated for a murder offense, would he still be appointed as chairman of the Finance Committee? Why, because it’s rape, is it accepted with indifference? Rape is the murder of the soul.”

Tensions Escalate in the Knesset

During the vote, Tamano-Shata was ejected from the House Committee after loudly interrupting Likud MK Tally Gotliv. Gotliv launched a heated attack on the Attorney General’s Office for approving the probe into Milwidsky, whom she said she would vote for “with honor and pride.”

Gotliv, who previously worked as an attorney defending alleged rapists, claimed the case would be closed, arguing that the delay in questioning Milwidsky showed the weakness of the case. She accused the attorney general of political persecution.

Other coalition lawmakers responded harshly to criticism of Milwidsky, with Knesset ushers intervening to prevent an altercation between Likud MK Nissim Vaturi and an aide to The Democrats MK Naama Lazimi. The exchange escalated, with Lazimi comparing Likud to a “criminal organization” and Vaturi responding with obscenities.

Defense of Milwidsky and Ongoing Debate

In his first public remarks following his approval as chairman, Milwidsky insisted there was “a world of difference” between the allegations against him and “what actually happened.” He refused to discuss the case but said he was confident that once more facts become public, “the decent people among you” would understand what is being discussed.

A coalition insider explained that the decision was based on the belief that the case occurred before Milwidsky became an MK and that the attorney general delayed the investigation until after news of his potential promotion surfaced.

Orit Sulitzeanu, executive director of the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel, described the appointment as a “new moral low” and a “black day in the fight against sexual violence.” She emphasized that the decision normalizes sexual assault and sends a harmful message to victims.