If the Shabbos/Makolet Bill is not passed into law in Knesset on Monday, 21 Teves, the chareidi parties are likely to threaten to break from the coalition and compel early elections. However, despite coalition agreements that compel the other parties to back the bill, the required majority may be absent as MKs from a number of the coalition parties have signaled they will not vote for the bill. https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/israel-news/1444003/pm-netanyahu-tells-party-ministers-the-shabbos-makolet-bill-must-pass-this-week.html

The heads of the factions which make up the coalition, Likud, Yisrael Beitenu, Shas, Yahadut Hatorah, and Bayit Yehudi, met on Sunday to discuss the bill and to find a compromise that will make the bill palatable to all. It was decided that convenience stores, such as those found in gas stations and AM:PM stores, would be excluded from the bill and would therefore be permitted to continue operating on Shabbos.

The bill empowers the Minister of the Interior to supersede local government. That is to say if a city votes to amend its regulations for the Day of Rest Law and permit certain stores to operate on Shabbos, the Interior Minister can use his authority to shut the stores, against the city’s will. The bill comes at a time that about ten local municipalities/cities have amended their laws to permit stores to operate on Shabbos.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)