Shinui is a party that stands for the "rule of law" - but it apparently depends which laws. Interior Minister Avraham Poraz (Shinui), who recently explained publicly why the laws mandating no public Sabbath commerce need not be enforced, has now taken the same position regarding the public sale of chametz (leaven, Halakhically forbidden to Jews on Passover) during the upcoming holiday. Poraz announced today that the law "does not bother me," and that therefore he will not send inspectors to enforce it.
The National Religious Party, the only religious party in the government coalition, says that such a policy violates the national religious status quo, and therefore defies the coalition agreement. The NRP was taken by surprise this past Shabbat when the inspectors enforcing the Sabbath laws distributed only "warnings" and did not write out actual tickets to violators. Benjo Berman, a top aide to MK Sha'ul Yahalom (NRP), said that the party was looking into both of these reports, and that the party's threat to leave the coalition if the Sabbath status quo is violated is still in effect.
The NRP's threat appeared to be effective last week when Prime Minister Sharon pressured Minister of Labor Ehud Olmert to enforce the law - but the issue appears once again to be up in the air.
Minister Poraz further enraged religious and right-wing citizens with several other announcements last week. He instructed secretaries in his office to stop writing the acronym for "with G-d's help" on top of his letters - a common Jewish practice that had become the norm when the religious Shas Party ran the Interior Ministry. He also said that he would stop the policy of revoking the citizenship of Israeli-Arabs involved in terrorist activity.
The National Religious Party, the only religious party in the government coalition, says that such a policy violates the national religious status quo, and therefore defies the coalition agreement. The NRP was taken by surprise this past Shabbat when the inspectors enforcing the Sabbath laws distributed only "warnings" and did not write out actual tickets to violators. Benjo Berman, a top aide to MK Sha'ul Yahalom (NRP), said that the party was looking into both of these reports, and that the party's threat to leave the coalition if the Sabbath status quo is violated is still in effect.
The NRP's threat appeared to be effective last week when Prime Minister Sharon pressured Minister of Labor Ehud Olmert to enforce the law - but the issue appears once again to be up in the air.
Minister Poraz further enraged religious and right-wing citizens with several other announcements last week. He instructed secretaries in his office to stop writing the acronym for "with G-d's help" on top of his letters - a common Jewish practice that had become the norm when the religious Shas Party ran the Interior Ministry. He also said that he would stop the policy of revoking the citizenship of Israeli-Arabs involved in terrorist activity.