MK Rahel Azaria (Kulanu), head of the caucus for Israel Jewry and one of the initiators of the Shabbat law, responded to the Supreme Court decision to authorize the opening of 160 supermarkets and kiosks in Tel Aviv.
"The Supreme Court has clarified today that the local authorities are those who ought to take the decision about how the Shabbat should be characterized in their public arena. The decision is similar to the proposal which we are promoting in the Knesset which is based on the Medan-Gavison contract regulating the status of Shabbat. This contract provides broad powers to local authorities, since Israeli society is heterogeneous and each sector and community has another way of celebrating Shabbat and therefore each should be allowed its own place."
Earlier, Supreme Court Chief Justice Miriam Naor and Justices Esther Hayut and Dafna Barak-Erez ruled unanimously that the Tel Aviv municipal by-laws are reasonable and that a permit can be given to Tel Aviv supermarkets to open on Shabbat. The judges rejected petitions submitted by businessmen against the proposed by-law.
"The special and different status of Shabbat represents the national Jewish culture as well as important social values. Despite this, the status quo includes an important democratic element - namely local democracy which allows the more precise expression of the different characteristics of each town and community."