Minister Uri Ariel, who heads the Ichud Leumi faction in the Bayit Yehudi party, speaks out about the plans to authorize soccer on Shabbos. He exclaimed “We cannot government recognition of public Chilul Shabbos”. Ariel questions how and why his party remains silent in the face of this – the government is about to officially sanction Shabbos soccer.

Ariel was addressing the Maalin B’Kodesh (מעלין בקודש) Kenos, which was held for a second consecutive year in Beit HaRav Kook in downtown Jerusalem. He spoke of plans to have the government officially recognize soccer on Shabbos by granting the necessary permits.

While soccer has R”L become synonymous with Shabbos for many, as Ariel explains, it never enjoyed official government approval and this mustn’t occur.

The chareidim are more concerned with the repeated chilul Shabbos by Israel Railways. While being against the soccer too, they feel it has been the religious status quo since the beginning of the state, soccer games on Shabbos. Hence, it is unlikely the chareidim will create a coalition crisis over the matter of Shabbos soccer.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)