The coalition crisis that appears to be brewing around the so-called Shabbos Bill has prompted Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to become personally involved.

YWN-ISRAEL reported coalition partner Kulanu has signaled it would not vote in favor of the bill, which will empower the cabinet to enforce the closure of stores in Tel Aviv on Shabbos, an authority that is currently under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior. The chareidi parties; both Shas and Yahadut Hatorah, have stated the bill must be passed as per coalition agreements but if Kulanu does not back it, the bill would be defeated.

Realizing the extent of the coalition crisis that is brewing, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu became personally involved, speaking with the bill’s author, MK (Likud) Miki Zohar, asking that he postpone the vote, which Zohar has agreed to do.

Zohar said that the bill would be presented in the Knesset plenum as planned but the vote will be delayed in line with the Prime Minister’s request.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)