_a.jpg "Photo: Dana Koppel")
Tamir under fire
Photo: Dana Koppel
MK Orlev considers no-confidence vote
Photo: Gil Yochanan
MK Gal-On calls it religious coercion
Photo: Haim Zach
Tamir under fire for breaking Shabbat
Education minister, whose meeting with student representatives ran an hour in Shabbat, receives censure from religious MKs
Friday, Education Minister Yuli Tamir managed to prevent a student strike. Saturday night, she received a wave of criticism for her pains. Religious party representatives in the Knesset expressed outrage at Tamir's Friday meeting with student representatives, because it ran into Shabbat.
Some religious Knesset members are going so far as to threaten 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 Shabbat began.
"A minister openly breaking Shabbat 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.
Amnon Meranda contributed to this report
