Minister says essential infrastructure and maintenance works that have to be done on Shabbat—will be; Shas leader Deri says he won\’t press Katz on the issue, \’we have no interest in creating crises. We realize we\’re not living in a Halacha state.\’
Labor and Welfare Minister Haim Katz has decided to resume infrastructure and maintenance work at Israel Railways on Shabbat, despite the political crisis it sparked over the past two weeks.
Katz, who is in charge of issuing Shabbat work permits as part of his role as the labor minister, said he intends to allow the work that is necessary for the weekend and examine every week the planned work to determine what must be done on Shabbat and what can be postpone to a weekday.
In an interview with Ynet\’s sister publication Yedioth Ahronoth, to be published in full on Friday, Katz declared: "Every case will be examined in its own right."
According to Katz, "Work concerning safety that has to be done on Shabbat—will be done. Work that there is no other choice but to do it on Shabbat—will be done. At the same time, the sanctity of Shabbat will also be kept. The difference is that with me, things will be done quietly and without shouting. Where the work is not necessary—it won\’t be done (on Shabbat)."
"For years now that there is work on Shabbat, and work on Shabbat will continue in the future. This was a lot of noise for no real reason," he added.