The cabinet on Sunday, 15 Kislev, during its weekly meeting, approved the bill giving increased authority to the Interior Minister regarding the closure of grocery stores on Shabbos in defiance of local ordinance permitting them to operate.

Contrary to the bill backed by MK Moshe Gafne, the Deri bill will not apply retroactively, and therefore, it will not be applicable to the stores operating on Shabbos in Tel Aviv.

Opposing the bill in the cabinet were Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Housing Minister Yoav Galant.

There was an argument between Lieberman and Deri during the discussion, with Liberman shouting “Herzl did not keep Shabbos and there is no justification for trying to compel Shabbos on everyone”. Deri responded, “All of Herzl’s descendants have converted”.

Responding to the cabinet’s approval, Yesh Atid party leader MK Yair Lapid responded, “The Supermarket Law passed in the government. Another insulting law of religious coercion under Netanyahu’s political dealings with the chareidim, once again, creating more of a split instead of discussion and dialogue on the definition of an Israeli Shabbos. I will fight this law with all my might”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)