Water Authority to supply Israel with underground water during Passover

"A big part of the public is strict with not using water that comes from the Kinneret during Passover... as is it exposed and could contain hametz," MK Moshe Gafni said.

SAMARIA REGIONAL COUNCIL head Yossi Dagan (left), Infrastructure Minister Yuval Steinitz (center) and Civil Administration officer Benny Elbaz inaugurate a 13-km. water pipeline in Samaria on Monday. (photo credit: SAMARIA REGIONAL COUNCIL)
SAMARIA REGIONAL COUNCIL head Yossi Dagan (left), Infrastructure Minister Yuval Steinitz (center) and Civil Administration officer Benny Elbaz inaugurate a 13-km. water pipeline in Samaria on Monday.
(photo credit: SAMARIA REGIONAL COUNCIL)
Israel's Water Authority will provide the country with underground water between Wednesday and until after Passover in order to avoid residue of hametz (leavened food, which is not kosher for the Passover holiday) in the country's water supply, Maariv, The Jerusalem Post's sister publication, reported Sunday. 
The decision was reached following a request made by MK Moshe Gafni (UTJ). 
"A big part of the public is strict with not using water that comes from the Kinneret during Passover... as is it exposed and could contain hametz," Gafni said. 
"The proposed solution is to use water that comes from drilling underground," he added. 
The issue of hametz and attempts to ban hametz products in public areas during Passover have come up in the past.  
Last April, the High Court of Justice ruled that hospitals cannot ban patients and visitors from bringing in food products that are not kosher for Passover during the holiday.
In January, the High Court denied a request by the Chief Rabbinate to hold another hearing with an expanded panel of justices on the issue.
Gafni said at the time that his party would demand that the High Court reverse the decision and that UTJ would pass override legislation in any new coalition it might join. 
The issue has reached the IDF as well. 
Following the High Court's decision in January, the Secular Forum and the Hiddush Association for Religious Freedom and Equality appealed to IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi, requesting that the IDF amend its orders as to allow hametz into IDF bases during Passover.

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In a letter addressed to Kohavi, the organizations argued that "it is clear that preventing the eating of food in IDF camps, whether kosher for Passover or not - is a violation of the freedom of choice, freedom of action and freedom of religion of non-observant Jews."
Halacha strictly prohibits the consumption of hametz for the seven days (eight outside of Israel) of Passover, a restriction that many Jews adhere to, including those not strictly observant.
Jeremy Sharon and Gadi Zaig contributed to this report.