Israeli retailers announced on Friday that they will open their businesses on Saturday, disregarding government measures put in place to stave off the spread of coronavirus.
A national retailer forum claimed the measure to shutter businesses on weekends is "religious coercion that has nothing to do with the attempts to stop the pandemic."
Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz and Health Minister called to cancel the restrictions, claiming they "made no sense". Several ultra-Orthodox called to leave the weekend ban on commerce in place.