Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, and the heads of Shas, United Torah Judaism and Ministers Aryeh Deri, Jacob Litzmann and Uri Ariel, announced a joint team to formulate an urban status quo regarding Sabbath.
Following protests from religious elements regarding the Sabbath and harming its sanctity, the parties signed a mutual commitment that the City Manager, Amnon Merhav, and a representative of the ultra-Orthodox community, Yitzhak Meron, will formulate an outline within 30 days to deal with commercial activity on Shabbat.