What is so urgent that we have to travel on Shabbat? As a child growing up in the Krayote and Tel Aviv I remember how quiet and peaceful it was to wake up on Shabbat. It was the only day one could hear the birds in Tel Aviv. The MK has a point. If you take away the restriction, those who observe will be disadvanted in the work place. If you run your business on Shabbat, you will naturally prefer to hire those who can work on it. Though it is great for business productivity, the loss of the weekend in the US has made for 7 day a week slaves out of most employees. Do you really want that in Israel? Bottom line! It doesn't hurt anyone to observe Shabbat by not taking a bus or driving, but it will impact the national charachter and offend a 1/3 of the population of Israel and for what benefit?

As long as private transport and sherutes are allowed the prohibition remains hypocritical.,ludicrous and cruel. The prohibition effects and blights the lives of the ,mostly, old and the poor who ,on their sole day of leisure ,are generally confined in their activities to wandering deserted streets or watching television.

To those who would deprive people , who work for a living ,of the access to places of leisure on the one day they don't work because of the noise that busses make - I would suggest that you stuff your arrogant ears with cotton as a mitzva to those who provide you with the means that allows you to live your lives as you choose.

to #28 What chutzpah!!!.Israel is not an ultra orthodox dictatorship.The last I heard -it's a democracy.You clearly think otherwise,

the traffic jams in the center are awful on saturday. parking lots get crammed, people get irritable, fights break out. it is unpleasant to put it politely; savage to be extreme. going to the beach is not relaxing when it takes someone who lives in tel aviv an hour and a half to get there. if this is supposed to be the jewish character of israel? the train and buses will reduce traffic and make the weekends more enjoyable for the vast majority of israelis. it will be environmental and good for the economy. it will create needed employment and offer the center to the periphery and the periphery to the center.

Shabat must be kept quiet ! I am not Haredi but appreciates Shabat. Most people work 5 days, let them use the extra day for whatever they wish BUT NOT ON SHABAT

There's no such thing as being ' a little bit pregnant!". Either you honor the shabbat or you desecrate it! If you so called law makers used your heads you'd learn from others, namely: Leave shabbat ALONE. Make sunday the day of recreation, etc. Then everyone is satisified. America only works mon thru early fri. off If they can run their businesses like that and be successful, then so can we!

The argument that the public transporation on shabbat would allow for workers to be forced to work seven days a week is simply solved by making it illegal to have employees who work seven days a week. (if that is not allrady so) The lack of public transportation makes it impossible for people who do not own a car to visit anyone over shabbat without staying for more than 24 hours or pay for a very expensive taxi. Lack of public transportation on shabbat is discriminating against the less fortunate, and disrupting family and social ties.

HAVE DONE THE SAME TO WOMEN PASSENGERS? IF NOT, WHY NOT?

Perhaps one day your country can grow up enough to separate its law from religion.