In the shadow of tensions surrounding the need to legislate a new draft law, amid many outcries against the chareidi parties, who are unwilling to tolerate the Chilul Shabbos for the construction of a Tel Aviv pedestrian bridge, Coalition Chairman (Likud) MK Chaim Amsellem was critical of opposition MKs who oppose halting the Chilul Shabbos. “Yair Lapid gets up every morning and davens to HKBH for a crisis surrounding a religious issue” Amsellem added during a radio interview.

In an interview with Moshe Glasner of Kol Berama Radio, Amsellem added, “On the one hand, maintaining Shabbos in the public sector is an important value, and we must make the effort to protect it. On the other hand, the Ayalon Highway is a major vehicular artery in the State of Israel, on which some 1.5 million people travel daily, and it is almost impossible to shut it.”

“Therefore, I say we must check into all the alternatives. We are not speaking about one night [of work]. The project demands six Shabbosim, so it is an involved project that demands time and we must check into all possibilities and decide”.

When asked if he has concerns regarding the stability of the coalition, Amsellem responded, “Anything connected to religion and state, if the chareidim decide to, they can break up the coalition”.

Amsellem continued, expressing criticism against those who attacked Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz’s decision to halt the Chilul Shabbos, who insists the work can and will be carried out on weekdays and nights. “This is the parnasa of these politicians. If there was no issue of Shabbos and the draft law, these politicians would not have a platform. These parties are built on this”.

Regarding efforts to legislate the draft law, Amsellem responded, “We met two weeks ago with the prime minister and the prime minister asked the chareidim to come up with a clear answer to the law and since then nothing has progressed.”

In his words, “The Likud is not a player in the matter. If the chareidim form an agreed position, the Likud will come into the picture. I am running the draft law and I have already prepared three committees on the matter.”

In the interview, the chairman of the coalition was asked about the sensitive point in the law, and the clause that brought the objection of Moetzas Gedolei Torah of Agudas Yisrael, which is the expiry clause of the law, addressing a situation in which draft quotas for chareidim are not met. “This is the essence of this law and it will not change. I live among my people and I mediate between the sides and I pass between everyone and I know that this will not happen,” explained Amsellem, who added, “The law is clear to all and if there are marginal changes, this can be done but the law has three points and these are the essence and if these are undermined, there is no law”.

On Thursday morning, prior to boarding a plane to Lithuania for an official state visit, PM Netanyahu was asked to comment on the controversy surrounding the Chilul Shabbos and the construction of the Yehudit Bridge.

‘What is your opinion about railway work on Shabbos?’
“I do not think that it is reasonable to close a transportation axis, the Ayalon Highway, during the middle of the week. I think that this is understood and this will be taken into account. I do not think that traffic will be hindered in any way.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)