Naftali Bennett
Naftali BennettMiriam Alster/Flash 90

Jewish Home chairman Naftali Bennett said on Sunday evening that his party would vote in favor of the “Supermarket Law”, which will be brought to a vote in the Knesset on Monday, in order to preserve the status quo "and not because of coalition constraints."

The haredi-sponsored law would stop food stores from operating on Shabbat by restricting local municipalities from passing laws enabling businesses to open on that day.

The bill is being promoted by the government despite the opposition of the ministers of Yisrael Beytenu, who consider it religious coercion.

"We support the Supermarket Law not because of coalition constraints, but in order to preserve the status quo," Bennett told the haredi radio station Radio Kol Chai on Sunday.

He added that Yisrael Beytenu violated coalition discipline by making it clear that its members would vote against the law. "If Yisrael Beytenu members vote against the bill, it will be an extreme step," Bennett said.

Bennett also discussed the so-called “Recommendations Law” which would prohibit the police from making recommendations for and against prosecution at the end of an investigation.

"This is an appropriate law. People are suffering through no fault of their own because of the publication of police recommendations," he said.

Bennett also addressed the protests organized by leftists in Tel Aviv, which have been dubbed the “March of Shame”, and in which demonstrators have urged Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to resign over the two investigations against him.

"Where were these demonstrators when former prime ministers Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert were interrogated?" he wondered.

Finally, Bennett referred to his announcement from Saturday night that he intends to run for prime minister when Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu retires from the position and said, "I do not think that there are elections around the corner, but in the meantime we are only gaining in the polls."