Rabbi Haim Druckman, head of Yeshivat Or Etzion and Bnei Akiva yeshivot, a venerable leader of religious Zionism, called on Prime Minister Netanyahu not to officially sanction soccer matches on Shabbat (the Sabbath).
"It's inconceivable that the Israeli government would kick the holy Shabbat," Rabbi Druckman said sharply. “It’s enough that those who play [soccer] kick the Shabbat, but the government of Israel too? It’s inconceivable.”
“Soccer games on Shabbat are forbidden by the law of the state of Israel. They are forbidden, but the law is not enforced and was ignored up to now, but to legitimize games and allow them? How is it possible to do something like this, under this Prime Minister and this coalition?”
“To decide officially that it’s allowed to violate Shabbat in public in a mass way like this - it’s hard to conceive that such a thing could happen.”
Rabbi Druckman said that he hopes the reports about the government’s intentions are not true. “I call on the Prime Minister to stand guard, so that such a mistake doesn’t come to pass on his watch and under his government.”
The rabbi brought up the fact that, in the early days of the state, there was a consensus against soccer games on Shabbat. “I have a document signed by the national poet Haim Nachman Bialik and professors from the Hebrew University in those days, including non-observant Jews, who signed against soccer games on Shabbat and were strongly opposed to holding games on Shabbat.”
“So to hear today that they want to legitimize it and decide that it’s legal? It’s unbelievable.”