The Jewish star of hit Israeli TV series Fauda, Tsahi Halevi, got married on Wednesday to Israeli-Arab news anchor, Lucy Aharish.

Ms Aharish is Muslim and the interfaith marriage has been condemned by Israeli Interior Minister Aryeh Deri.

The right-wing minister told Army Radio that the celebrity union was “not the right thing to do” saying that “assimilation is consuming the Jewish people.”

Mr Deri said that with a Muslim mother and Jewish father, the couple’s children would face “serious problems” in Israel, and encouraged Ms Aharish to convert to Judaism.

Likud Knesset member Oren Hazan also criticised the union. He tweeted:

“I’m not accusing Lucy Aharish of seducing a Jewish soul in order to hurt our nation and prevent more Jewish offspring from continuing the Jewish line. On the contrary, she’s welcome to convert.”

He went further, accusing the Fauda star of becoming “Islamicized,” and said he had taken his role in the political thriller too far. “Lucy, it’s nothing personal, but know that Tzachi is my brother and the people of Israel are my people. Enough with assimilation!”

However, these comments were met with fierce criticism from others.  Zionist Union Knesset member Yoel Hassan tweeted that Hazan’s comments exemplified governing Likud’s “dark, racist and embarrassing face”.

Shelly Yachimovich, another party member, likened their outlook to the fictional ‘death eaters’ in the Harry Potter who only desire “pure bloods.”

The couple have reportedly been in a relationship for years, but had kept it on the down-low until their civil wedding on Wednesday evening.