Coalition head MK (Likud) David Amsellem sent a letter to Shas Chairman Minister Aryeh Deri on Wednesday morning, 6 Menachem Av, committing to amend the Shabbos clause of the Nationality Law to include the Shabbos Law, thereby making local municipalities and cities subordinate to the Basic Law.

Amsellem was referring to the Shabbos (Supermarket) Law passed recently, providing the Interior Ministry with the authority to close stores opening on Shabbos, even is doing so with approval from local authorities. With the exception of Tel Aviv, which permitted opening stores before the law was vote in, the ministry can override a local ordinance and order stores closed on Shabbos. By including it in the Nationality Law, which is to become a Basic Law, it will be significantly more difficult for any local authority to bypass the law.

According to the Kikar Shabbos report, this is a response to Shas’ demands that the Nationality Law be amended to safeguard Shabbos.

Sources in Shas accuse MK Bezalel Smotrich and others that after they failed to add the words “Jewish settlements” in the Nationality Law, they try to raise fears and false interpretations on religious issues in order to obstruct the law.

Thus, for example, article 10 of the proposed national law states: “Shabbos and Yomim Tovim of Israel are the days of rest established in the State, and those who are not Jews shall have the right to hold the days of rest on their Sabbath and festivals.

A misinterpretation could have argued that the municipal bylaws would not be subject to the new national law and would require new legislation on the subject, which would create a fear of keeping Shabbos within the cities

However, despite the fact that the legal advisor clarified that the existing version includes the municipal bylaws, Shas chairman Deri demanded the addition of the words “or in accordance with it” which also anchors the bylaws and provides the legal wording demanded by Shas to safeguard Shabbos.

Amsellem added, “However, for the sake of clarity, I undertake that at the beginning of the next session of the Knesset, we shall bring to the vote an amendment to the law regarding Section 10.

Kikar Shabbos adds that Chacham HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Cohen Shlita, head of the Moetzas Gedolei Torah of Shas instructed representatives in Knesset not to oppose the bill over this matter in light of the promise made by Amsellem.

Meanwhile, at the end of a marathon debate in recent days and after 24 lengthy meetings to prepare the bill, the joint committee of the Knesset Committee and the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee on Wednesday, 6 Menachem Av, approved the second and third readings of the bill by a majority of eight MKs and seven against it. The requested revision to the law was rejected by a majority of nine to seven.

MK Ahmad Tibi announced on his behalf and on behalf of MK Yousef Jabareen and the Arab List. that “we announce with astonishment the death of democracy that has been eradicated in recent years and suffered from exclusion and racism. This is the worst and the funeral will take place today at the plenum.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)