Railroad in Hatzerot Yosef on Saturday
Photo: Gil Adler
Israel Railways working also on Shabbat
Train administration initially denied doing repairs on Saturdays. After being presented with photographic proof they say, 'Work was done by a contractor, all the workers are Arabs." Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor: Work is legal if done by Arabs
About a month ago Israel Electric shocked the country after transporting a transformer to a power station on a Saturday. It turns out the electric company is not the only government company that works on Shabbat; residents living close to railroad tracks in the north of Israel spotted railroad workers doing repairs on a Saturday.
Israel Railways denied the claims at first, and said the work was done on a Friday. Israel Railways responded by saying that all work done that weekend was done before and after the Shabbat day: "Any work done on Shabbat was according to the rules set by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor."
Israel Railways has a special permit for working on Saturdays, as long as they get an okay from the ministry.
The ministry reported that the work was in fact done before Shabbat that weekend, still, one of the citizens insisted and sent ynet a picture of the work going on along with the exact date and time – Saturday, November 4th, 3:15 p.m.
After being presented with this evidence, Israel Railways' administration changed their story and said that work was carried out on a Saturday after all, but by a contractor who employs Arab workers.
According to Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor, "Legally, you cannot employ workers on their day of rest, and so employing Jews is not allowed. Assuming that the Arabs day of rest is Friday, they is no problem with them working on a Saturday, as long as they are giving a break on their day of rest."
The initial report was
received via the Red Email
