“I did not resign as health minister to become deputy minister. I am not going to speak about the matter of deputy minister is until the law is amended” responded Health Minister Yaakov Litzman on Monday 9 Kislev.

At a ceremony in a Terem clinic in Betar Illit, Litzman spoke about submitting his resignation as Health Minister and the Chilul Shabbos by Israel Railways. “You can think that I resigned to become deputy minister. I resigned because I had to resign and if Shabbos is not fixed, then I am out, simple as that”.

“No one believed I was going to resign two weeks ago. They thought it was just a threat, but Shabbos is basic for us. I never agreed to any Chilul Shabbos, not for a moment”.

“I resigned because I was instructed too. I am a shaliach of Gedolei Yisrael. Without them, there would not be anyone. They tell me to move this way and I do it without argument. Someone has to persuade me that this is pikuach nefesh. It is pikuach money! It is prohibited to assume responsibility for this.”

Regarding allegations that too much insistence over Shabbos will result in additional seats for Yair Lapid, Litzman added, “We do not have to be afraid of Lapid Shmapid. We have to worry about that which we have taken responsibility over, which is based on halacha and this is what we are about. It is no secret that I did not want to become a minister. Lapid never planned to see me as Health Minister for two years. It was a work accident”.

On Sunday, 8 Kislev, Channel 10 reported Yesh Atid was gaining in popularity due to the chareidim remaining insistent on halting Israel Railways Chilul Shabbos. He gained three additional seats, to 24 in this poll as opposed to the previous poll, placing his party in a tie with Likud, which also received 24 seats.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)