Religion Magazine
The Haredi parties are continuing to press on the Tel Aviv shops being open on Shabbos issue. They are continuing to threaten to bring down the coalition. It feels, for now, like they are treating it like a real crisis and that they will go all the way with their threats.
The question is, why did they not shut it all down when they had the power to? The Supreme Court decision came only because Minister Deri did not give his own decision on the issue before the deadline arrived. If they are so serious about the issue, why did he not give the decision when it was in his hands to do so?
I understand it was not a good decision to have to make. No matter what he would decide, many would be upset. Deciding to reject the Tel Aviv bylaw would turn it into a religious issue, and accepting it was not really an option but doing so would upset the religious and Haredi. It was thought he intentionally waffled in order to let the Supreme Court take the decision away from him - but then why did he fight to get the power to decide on this issue returned to him, and why are they so upset now that his plan worked and the Supreme Court decided for him.
It seems to me that had that been his plan, any protest would have been superficial at best and would have passed quickly.
So, I don't get what is happening. It seems real, and if so, why did Deri not decide on the issue when he was able to?
Maybe it just backfired? Maybe that was the plan and Shas would have been ok with it, but UTJ turned it into a bigger issue than Deri had expected or planned for?
Do you have any thoughts?
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