The final votes intended to pass the Shabbos/Makolet Bill into law on Monday, 14 Teves were postponed due to a lack of a coalition majority. MKs Glick and Azoulai were unable to attend the session, and the decision was made to push off the vote for another week, until such time there is a certain majority.

According to a Kikar Shabbos report, this was not the true reason for the postponement of the votes. The report cites the reason being the Likud decided the bill, which empowers the Interior Ministry to shut stores on Shabbos despite local ordinances to the contrary, had to be amended to exclude Eilat.

Likud decided Eilat is a resort city and as such, supermarkets and other businesses must be permitted to continue operating on Shabbos, and Interior Minister Deri understood Likud planned the move, bringing the process to a halt. It is pointed out that when the bill was in committee, the issue of Eilat was raised, along with many other objections, but the chareidi parties decided it was enough and they began pushing the process ahead. However, chareidi MKs began realizing that while Likud was being silent for the most part, it was not about to permit the law to include Eilat. Hence, Deri called to halt the vote based on the disagreement surrounding Eilat. Deri signaled he is unwilling to permit any change in the bill, no matter how minor or serious it may be.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)