The daily HaMevaser questions if the prime minister’s need to attack Bayit HaYehudi leader Naftali Bennett supersedes kedushas shabbos for on erev shabbos, an hour before candle lighting, media personnel were compelled to interview the prime minister. The interviews were aired on motzei shabbos.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu came up against Bennett for statements made earlier that were interpreted as Bennett’s support for insubordination in the IDF.
The issue at hand is not relevant to HaMevaser or chareidi elected officials, who demand a response from the prime minister as to why he felt he had to grant a media interview that was obviously going to result in chilul shabbos.
HaMevaser has learned that a media advisor to the prime minister contacted Channels 2, 10 and 1 on Friday seeking an interview to attack Bennett. Channel 10 confirms a staff member of the prime minister phoned at 11:00am on Friday and the station officials were surprised, aware of the short day. Jerusalem candle lighting was 4:03pm.
The prime minister arrived at the Channel 10 studio at 3:00pm for a ten-minute interview and station officials confirm that the interview resulted in chilul shabbos, adding one driver who is shomer shabbos left minutes before shekiya on foot to head home, angered when he realized the cause for the delay. Similar statements are quoted by HaMevaser regarding Channel 1.
Officials in the Prime Minister’s Office stressed the interviews were completed before shabbos.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
shkoyach,
as long as Netanyahu isnt michalel shabbos, its fine with him
kol yisrael areivim zeh lazeh, whats that?
Netanyahu is not seeking Hareidi votes. Under proportional representation, a party only seeks to rally its base, and people ideologically near it, and those groups don’t mind an interview close to Shabbos. In all fairness, I serious doubt Netanyahu has to do much to prepare for Shabbos, as he has a wife and employs servants whom the wife supervises, so he probably has free just before Shabbos. Note that the interview ended earlier enough for people to walk home.
Looks like difference of opinion regarding time – not chilul shabbos.
Why the PM felt the need to hold an immediate interview vis a vi what Bennet said, is the bigger question?
the chareidim are worried about “chillul shabbos” of the p.m.,but i think the chareidim should worry about their own “chillul HASHEM” with all the “lo ye’uman kee ye’supar” shenanigins that are going on btwn the so called chareidi parties ,”chillul shabbos” you can do teshuva on chillul hashem theres no kappora
#4: Well said.