Degel Hatorah officials are having a difficult time signing the agreement that ended the coalition crisis surrounding Israel Railways Chilul Shabbos. The new agreement calls for maintaining the Shabbos status quo. The agreement permits the grocery stores violating Shabbos in Tel Aviv to continue doing so but Degel Hatorah wants to fight against this, unwilling to accept the opening of the stores as the new reality and has not abandoned plans to combat the situation.

With Health Minister Yaakov Litzman appeased, it appears the cameras will be focused on Gafne who still dreams of passing his law, a law that lacks support even among coalition parties.

Yated Neeman reported that the government is still working against Gafne’s bill, which seeks to circumvent the High Court ruling permitting the stores to operate in Tel Aviv on Shabbos. For Degel Hatorah, they want stores closed down retroactively, unwilling to accept the current reality of the stores operating on Shabbos.

Gafne states “one can say the crisis is over, but it will not really be over until the legislation is passed”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)