Two representatives of Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ), Natan Elnatan and Naftali Lubert, told Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai that they would immediately be leaving the Tel Aviv municipal coalition.
Their announcement came after the Supreme Court ruled to allow supermarkets to open on Shabbat, a ruling that was given following a petition from Mayor Huldai.
The decision of their resignations was made according to the decision of rabbis which was handed to Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas) and Yaakov Litzman (Agudat Yisrael), as a sign of public protest against the desecration of the Sabbath in Tel Aviv.
In the resignation announcement, the representatives explained that they cannot be a part of a coalition which actively works to encourage Sabbath desecration, changing the status quo for the worse and striking a blow to the Jewish national character.
“The holy Sabbath is a national day of rest. A blow to the Sabbath is a serious removal of values, and we will not tolerate it,” they wrote.
They added, “We cannot continue to sit in a coalition which actively encourages Sabbath desecration, while clearly harming thousands of workers, who are now called on to give up time with their families to work on the day of rest.”