It has been six months since a court ruled against opening convenience stores in Tel Aviv on Shabbos, but in actuality, the stores continue to operate and City Hall brings in money in fines while turning a blind eye to law-breaking.

According to information released in a Knesset lobby meeting, Tel Aviv City Hall levied 18,725 fines for operating a prohibited business on Shabbos in 2008-2013, netting the city 10.5 million NIS in fines. The statistics were revealed in a Knesset lobby meeting addressing the Day of Rest in Israel.

The report was prepared by Knesset, revealing that while there are 25 municipalities with a Shabbos Law, the law is not enforced in 13 of them. Only eight municipalities reported levying fines for law-breakers; Tel Aviv, Ashdod, Haifa, Ramat HaSharon, Netanya, Kiryat Motzkin, Kiryat Ata and Ramat Gan. The fines generated a combined income of 17.6 million NIS. Haifa reports the fines brought in 2.6 million NIS.

Commenting on the report was MK Elazar Stern, who explained the report shows that an arrangement regarding the status of Shabbos in Israel and the Jewish character of the state, an agreement can be reached with the understanding between religious and non-religious that either side cannot expect to have all its demands met.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)