Minister without Portfolio Tzachi Hanegbi was given the authority to approve permits for soccer matches on Shabbos.

The authority was first in the hands of the Prime Minister, then transferred to Aryeh Deri who was serving as Minister of the Economy. He eventually stepped down from that post in a well-planned move, taking back his former post as Interior Minister, which he held back in 1993.

The matter of soccer Shabbos permits has become a cabinet hot potato as soccer R”L for many Israelis is synonymous with Shabbos and while the law prohibits it, administrations over the years have turned a blind eye. Realizing the ramifications of approving or disapproving the soccer permits, Deri got rid of the authority for the decision, which was given to Tzachi Hanegbi, to serve as the cabinets ‘Shabbos Goy’.

Hanegbi, who is counted among the few in the inner loyalist circle of PM Netanyahu, was given the post of Minister without Portfolio, simply bringing him to the cabinet table with having anything of essence to look after. Back in December 2016 he was given the post of Minister of Regional Cooperation and last week, he also become Acting Minister Communications, as PM Netanyahu had to give up that portfolio.

Under the new arrangements, the chareidim will not get their hands dirty, Hanegbi will approve the soccer and become the cabinet Shabbos goy, and this will permit the chareidim to then decry the chilul Shabbos while enjoying the benefits of remaining in the coalition.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)