Pod Save America Hosts Call on Democrats to Cut All Israel Military Aid, No Longer Accept AIPAC Funding
Jews, Israelis Targeted in Austria Amid Surge in Antisemitic Incidents; Local Jewish Community Calls for Action
‘All of Our Strength’: Over 1,000 Pro-Israel Activists Gather in DC for Solidarity Conference
‘Devastated’: Wesley LePatner, Killed in Manhattan Mass Shooting, Was a Jewish Communal, Philanthropic Leader
Sen. Angus King Vows to No Longer Vote for Israel Military Aid Until Gaza Conditions Improve
Europe Won’t Pressure Israel to ‘Commit Suicide’ Amid Gaza Backlash, Palestinian State Push, Says Israeli FM
Israel’s National Soccer Coach Attacked in Athens Before Soccer Fans Chant ‘F–K Israel, Free Palestine’ at Match
New York Judge Sentences Neo-Nazi to 5 Years for Livestreaming Bomb Threats Against Jewish Hospitals
US Pressures Lebanon to Issue Cabinet Decision to Disarm Hezbollah Before Talks Continue
UK Plans to Recognize Palestinian State in September Unless Israel Meets Conditions, Starmer Says
Controversial Shabbat Bill Passes First Reading in Israeli Knesset
Error: Contact form not found.
by JNS.org
The Israeli Knesset building. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
JNS.org – The Israeli Knesset on Tuesday approved a controversial bill that would limit commerce on Shabbat. The legislation passed its first reading in a 59-54 vote and will now head to the Knesset’s Internal Affairs Committee, which will draft it for its second and third readings.
Shas party leader and Interior Minister Aryeh Deri had threatened to resign if the so-called “supermarket bill” was not approved, a move that could have destabilized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition. Netanyahu and Tourism Minister Yariv Levin returned from a state visit to Europe on Monday night in order to secure the necessary majority.
The bill, designed to placate the haredi parties that want to see no commerce on Shabbat in accordance with Jewish law, essentially grants the interior minister the power to override city bylaws that allow business on Shabbat.
The measure encountered fierce resistance from both the Israeli opposition and the Yisrael Beiteinu party, a governing coalition partner. Even though the coalition would still have 61 Knesset seats — the minimum majority — without Yisrael Beiteinu, coalition MKs Sharren Haskel (Likud) and Tali Ploskov (Kulanu) opposed the bill.
Opposition MKs slammed the bill as cowering to Israel’s haredi parties.
“Instead of conducting a real dialogue about what shape the modern day of rest should take, all we see are attempts to appease the religious parties,” MK Itzik Shmuli (Zionist Union) said.
MK Michal Rozin (Meretz) said the haredi parties were “power drunk.”
“This will lead them nowhere. We have to put a stop to their extortion. We have to clearly state that the secular majority will not allow the [haredi] minority to impose itself on our way of life,” Rozen said.
