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Education Minister Yuli Tamir
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| By Israel Insider staff and partners February 25, 2007 |
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On Friday, Education Minister Yuli Tamir met with student representatives and prevented a strike, but on Saturday night she was criticized by Knesset members for her actions. Religious party representatives in the Knesset expressed outrage at Tamir's meeting with student representatives because it continued into the beginning of the Sabbath.
Some religious Knesset members are threatening a no-confidence vote on the matter.
The meeting took place at Tamir's private residence and included no other members of the Education Ministry. Due to severe disagreements between the two sides, the meeting, which began early in the afternoon, ran until 6:30 p.m., an hour after the Sabbath began.
"A minister openly breaking Shabbat (the Sabbath) while on duty is not worthy of being in a government of a Jewish State," said MK Zevulun Orlev (National Union-National Religious Party) about the meeting.
"National Union-NRP will consider submitting a no-confidence vote on the matter," he added.
"This is an extremely severe phenomenon, displayed amongst members of this government, which we have not seen before. I object to the desecration of Shabbat and will consider taking further steps," said MK Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism).
MK Yitzhak Levy (National Union-NRP) urged Shas to demand that Tamir be fired or withdraw from the coalition, "following such disrespect for Shabbat displayed by the minister."
"A religious party cannot sit in a coalition with such an Education Minister," he said, in an appeal to the other party.
MK Zahava Gal-On (Meretz) protested such statements, saying "I think that the Education Minister needed to make every effort to prevent the student strike, including a meeting on Shabbat, if necessary."
"We are tired of attempts by the religious parties to stretch their boundaries and practice religious coercion," she added.
Ynetnews contributed to this article. |
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