Government reaches compromise over Sabbath work impasse

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday reached a deal with his ultra-Orthodox coalition partners, amid growing tensions over public work on the Jewish day of rest.

According to the outline of the agreement, the government will propose a law maintaining the status quo with regard to Shabbat observance in Israel. Hadashot news (formerly Channel 2) reported that the legislation will allow the mini-markets in Tel Aviv to remain open on Shabbat and will ensure no disruption to weekday train service (meaning maintenance work can be carried out on Shabbat).

The status quo will also ensure that league soccer games will continue to be played on Shabbat.

In return, the government will work to pass an amendment to a constitutional Basic Law, which will allow Yaakov Litzman — who resigned as health minister earlier in the day in protest at work on the railway line on Shabbat — to serve as deputy minister in the ministry with no minister serving above him.

This deputy minister arrangement used to be the case but is an arrangement the High Court of Justice has ruled unlawful under current law.

Litzman of the United Torah Judaism party had been loathe to become a full minister, due to his community’s reluctance to grant full legitimacy to a secular Jewish state. But a 2015 court ruling forced him to seek and receive rabbinic approval to become a full minister. Returning to a deputy position would allow Litzman to fulfill his duties without being party to all government decisions.

Under the deal, the government will work to pass legislation allowing him to run the ministry as a deputy minister.

Social Affairs Minister Haim Katz attends a Labor and Welfare committee meeting in the Knesset, June 8, 2015. (Alster/FLASh90)

At the suggestion of Transport Minister Yisrael Katz, his Likud colleague Welfare Minister Haim Katz — who also serves as the state’s top labor regulator — will make decisions on future national works on Shabbat, based on several criteria including safety, traditional values and the disruption to public life in Israel.

Netanyahu immediately tweeted that his government was the best for Israel.

“The Likud-led Government is the best Government for the State of Israel. The coalition is strong and stable. We will continue to work together for the citizens of Israel,” he wrote.

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri from the Shas party sought to portray the agreement as a victory for the ultra-Orthodox parties.

“We succeeded in reaching an agreement regarding the mini-markets and other subjects,” Deri said. “This is a Jewish state and most citizens want to feel Shabbat in the streets and in their cities.”

Earlier Sunday, Netanyahu had to cancel the weekly meeting of coalition party leaders after Litzman resigned his position and Deri skipped a cabinet meeting, both protesting government bodies working on Shabbat.

Litzman followed through on a threat he made to quit if maintenance work on the railways was carried out on Saturday. Deri acted apparently after learning that a bill giving him power to decide which mini-market shops can open on Saturdays was taken off the agenda of the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, which must approve the bill before it can advance to a parliamentary vote.

Netanyahu reportedly held individual talks with his coalition leaders instead.

In a video statement, Litzman explained that he could not countenance the “state-sanctioned public desecration of Shabbat.” He tendered his resignation to Netanyahu at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem before the start of the weekly cabinet meeting.

Last month the High Court of Justice rejected a petition that would prevent Tel Aviv mini-markets from operating on Shabbat, infuriating ultra-Orthodox lawmakers who vowed to bypass the court with fresh Knesset legislation.

Tourism Minister Yariv Levin of the ruling Likud party is reportedly planning to propose a watered-down version of the mini-market bill.

Stuart Winer contributed to this report.