The secular media is warning that if Interior Ministry Eli Yishai has his way, “Israel is likely to turn into Iran”.

The minister is not legislating a new law but has decided to crack down on the enforcement of existing laws, the laws that protect workers and demand they receive 36 hours of rest at the weekend.

Yishai turned to the treasury, seeking to link granting business licenses to compliance with the law, but at present, the ministry is opposed and does not intend to cooperate.

In reality, government officials in the past have turned a blind eye to Jews employed on shabbos, but Yishai feels the time has come to compel businesses to adhere to the law, a move that will prevent many Jews from working on shabbos, not because they choose to but because they are compelled to do so.

Aides to the minister released a statement that Yishai questions the government, the selective enforcement of the law, why it decides in this case, when workers are legally entitled to be at home resting from a week’s work, the decision is made to ignore their basic rights.

There is an audible outcry from Tel Avivians, led by Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, as well as restaurateurs and others, who insist the government must not impose decrees on the public that they are simply incapable of adhering to. They decry the attempt by Yishai to compel shmiras shabbos, and reject what they call his blatant intervention in their private lives, insisting in Tel Aviv, people want restaurants and other businesses open on shabbos.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)