His first bill since the recent coalition crisis, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman suggests removing the incentives given to employees who agree to work on Shabbos. He explains the financial incentives offered on Shabbos are the cause for employees working.

Speaking with the Yisrael Hayom newspaper, Litzman is quoted saying “Unfortunately, the State of Israel is trampling Shabbos because those working on the holy day earn 250%. Take Israel Railways for example, there is a government company performing work on Shabbos, work that is a far cry from pikuach nefesh. The work can be done another time but because of the incentive, they insist it must be carried out on Shabbos”.

Litzman stresses that it has nothing to do with an issue against Israel Railways, but it has to do with Shabbos.

He adds that back ten years ago, he already suggested that persons working for government agencies are not to receive the Shabbos incentive, which would have halted almost all the chilul Shabbos, but to date this not the case.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)