After Health Minister Yaakov Litzman (UTJ) threatened to bolt the coalition Friday over rail line work planned in southern Israel this coming Sabbath, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Labor and Welfare Minister Haim Katz, and Litzman negotiated a compromise agreement allowing the planned work to be carried out, while ensuring that no Jewish workers take part.
Israel Railways, a state-owned corporation, informed Litzman this Wednesday of the planned infrastructure work, despite an agreement bar all non-essential infrastructure work on the Sabbath.
On Friday, Litzman issued an ultimatum, pledging to resign from his position and withdraw the UTJ party from Netanyahu's coalition government if the work was carried out as planned.