a complete zero in terms of productivity& contribution to the State, they are the last ones to be taken into account when this type of decisions are made. I do hope it was purposeful. What a hutzpa from these individuals.

The huge majority of the Israeli populace does NOT observe the shabat, certainly not in the dogmatic form of the Orthodox elite. The gas field was discovered and exploited by SCIENCE, and science recognizes no shabat. Enough pandering to the Jewish Taliban. Israel is not a theocracy, and by Jove, it never will be!!!

There's no reason Metzger and Amar should get extensions, never mind second terms. Neither has endeared himself to Israel's Jewish populace. It's time, as in Israel's early days, to have Chief Rabbis who believe in a Jewish State (i.e. Zionists) and can inspire beyond the haredi sector.

Thou shall not pass gas on shabbat.

Pres. Peres is right; this was a mistake. They should have waiting one more day.

Good thing you are not one of us. enjoy life in America

You made my day!

why the knesset elected peres president. Nor why bibi doesn't throw him out of office for mixing in politics? But let the old gas bag talk with those other three gas bags. They probably want their cut of the profits, instead of citizens that served in the I.D.F.and work.

When Jews, I guess they are, use the kind of language they do to describe Torah-observant Jews, they are truly sad examples of what a part of the Jewish community has become. The fact is that the only reason we are in Israel is that it is our Biblical homeland. Otherwise we could have been in Uganda, as the British proposed, or we don't have to exist as something called "Jewish" at all. We have spiritual roots in Israel and in Torah, and those who treat them as important are to be respected. Shame on those who use such derogatory language.

I speak from personal experience.

When it comes to the media there is always one story but spun in different ways depending on who their main followers are. In this case the story was the Tamar gas field came online on Saturday. Left wing media might have said is it a good idea to start pumping this gas because Hezbollah claim it belongs to Lebanon. Should we share the gas with Lebanon in the interest of peace? Right wing media might have said why has it taken the government so long to get the gas pumping when there has been so much regional instability last couple of years? Arab media would probably have said Israel is stealing palestinan gas why isn't the world trying to stop this theft? The haredi media asks why is it being brought online on Shabbat. Peres is behaving like a diplomat. He is being hosted by a haredi Rebbe and he is being asked by a haredi newspaper why is the gas being brought online on Shabbat? Peres said I am against it but i don't know who was responsible.

Why couldn't it be done on Sunday? That is on a day that isn't a day of rest in Israel. The fact that it was done on the Holy Shabbat is very uncomfortable for me as a Jew. Makes me sad that the Jews bowed to the non-Jewish minority owners desires.

OK, Apologise to Turkey and pay the compensation over.

I don't think so, Adoni HaNassi. The mistake was raising gas prices 6%. Also... in light of the holiday, nothing is noted about when Am Israel left Egypt and whether it was a Shabbat or not. How about less catering to nonsense and more attention to easing life on the non religious public. If the "non-serving sectors " don't like it? Tough.

Why limit yourself only to seculars using derogatory terms on orthodox in such a specific manner? Why not jews using those words on other jews since it's so evident on both sides, like shiksas and spitting on little girls or throwing drinks on women at buses who refuse to give their seat to a man and get banished to the back of the bus? It shows clear and disgusting bias which would only undermines your message. And the Torah didn't remake Israel. The religious were against Israel until the end of the 1967 war. It was seculars and seculars alone that envisioned and rebuilt the country with their sweat and blood just like it is them alone today that maintain and grow its economy and military. Torah =/ our roots and history just like the second bible isn't the culmination of history for Christians. So don't try to claim monopoly over that either. The gas field is set to bring us gas until at least 2035. Do you know how many Sabbaths are included until that date? Then why does it matter? Do you know how many years it was drilled tirelessly and how much money (secular money) was exhausted on it? Yet the haredim that only leech and don't give have the gull to complain? Why not. They don't care about the check book.

I'm with #8. I'm sitting here, laughing myself silly. Thanks!

the rules.

Wow! You are really in for a surprise!

I totally agree with your statements. It is a shame that we have elements within our nation that serve to destroy the holiness of Israel and are support all the evil - They make the divides and cause the rift and internal strife in the nation to grow and expand and that is the greatest curse .

This is the sort of thing that is dividing this country and causing Jew to hate Jew! Enough religious coercion. When are these black coated religious fundamentalists going to let people live their lives without threats and extortion? President Peres should be ashamed of himself for making this statement!

The Haredim have taken NIS61 Billion and other children, religious and secular, are going hungry! So don't use treif gas. Rub a couple of sticks together but not on Shabbat!

But gas flowing on Saturday helps Israel to keep warm and productive. Rahmanut on Israel with leaders like these.

"..The fact that it was done on the Holy Shabbat is very uncomfortable for me as a Jew.." Take a pill. :-))

Just another disaster waiting to happen.

1. I was thinking of my country. for your information... Rav Goren gave a responsa about electricity and gas many many years ago. (mind you Rav Goren of the IDF passed away over 10 years ago) Rav Goren said: if the flow of electricity and gas are already moving then there is no reason to stop them or start them on a Shabbat...because to do either could cause a situation of "Pikuach Nefesh" and so one is meant to LEAVE THEM ALONE. 2. your argument about the Haredim is flawed. It is the governments (all of them left and right) that you and I have voted for who have decided to pass forward these monies to certain segments of the population. Not only do the Haredim benefit but so too those sitting in the West Bank (N.B. I said West Bank and NOT Yehuda and Shomron). 3. give it a rest already the secular also receive stipends from the government of Israel. 4. Did you think to ask why it was that the Minority Non-Jewish share holder didn't want the flow of gas started on this particular Sunday? Oh no? Well this particular Sunday was Easter and it is holy to the non-Jewish minority holder. If you have no problem respecting Easter (and I don't) why do you have a problem respecting the Shabbat? 5. the Gas by its nature is not treif, Only the nature of your hatred is treif! Hag Sameach!