The chairman of Degel Hatorah, MK Moshe Gafne, on Thursday released harsh criticism against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in connection to the machlokes surrounding the Chilul Shabbos and the construction of the pedestrian bridge in Tel Aviv.

Gafne, who participated in the conference of directors of the Meuchedet Health Fund at Mayanei HaYeshua Hospital in Bnei Brak, wished to address the crisis surrounding the latest major Chilul Shabbos, speaking as PM Netanyahu was boarding a plane for a state visit to Lithuania. In his remarks prior to boarding the plane, the Prime Minister explained he does not see how the Ayalon Highway can be closed during the week, which would be necessitated if the construction is carried out on a weekday, not Shabbos. The Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday released a message, criticizing the announcement by Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz, who ordered a halt to the Chilul Shabbos, confident the construction may be carried out during the week or at night.

Gafne feels the Prime Minister had no business commenting on the matter and should have learned from past incidents that commenting will only serve to do harm.

Referring to the recent toeiva parade in Tel Aviv, Gafne commented, “They recently closed parts of the Ayalon Highway for a parade, not just Ayalon but also major roadways, and no one uttered a word. Here too one does not have to overturn the world to avoid the Chilul Shabbos.”

“I very much praise Minister Yisrael Katz, and I think that the Prime Minister made a mistake in what he said, he should not have interfered in this, the last time he intervened, it did not help us, so he did not have to intervene either for good or for bad and we should not turn Shabbos in the State of Israel into a weekday and a day for renovations…”

Gafne concluded, “We will continue our actions. I did not want to turn this into a struggle between chareidim and non-religious, and we prefer that this is addressed in talks with ministers and the professionals…”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)