The website that enables online payments to the Israeli Health Ministry will e blocked to the public on Shabbos and Yomim Tovim, Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman announced Wednesday. “If such a service exists, it must be closed on Shabbat and chagim,” his office said in a statement.
Litzman’s decision follows an order by Interior Minister Eli Yishai to block online payments to his ministry on Shabbos and Yomim Tovim.
But despite reports claiming that Shas ministers are closing ranks on this issue, Housing Minister Ariel Atias, also of Shas, refused to comment on the matter. His office issued a statement saying that because of his workload, he has not had time to look into it carefully.
And Avigdor Ohana, director general of the Ministry of Religious Services, told Haaretz that his ministry’s website “is operational on Shabbat and chagim, and will remain so. We do not have a payments service, only an information website, so the situation will remain unchanged.”
Shabbos and Yomim Tovim account for only 3.2 percent of all online payments made via government websites each week.
But at the Interior Ministry’s Population and Immigration Authority, the rate is more than double, with online payments on these days accounting for seven percent of all payments.
Improvement of Government Services Minister Michael Eitan, who chaired a steering committee on ways to make government more accessible, said yesterday that ministries should not be taking unilateral steps.
“Orderly meetings should be held on the matter to understand why Yishai sought to act in this way,” he said. “I am certain there are technological solutions that would avoid desecration of Shabbat, but every one should be able to do as he pleases in his own home.”
About 60 percent of Israel’s population defines itself as either religious, traditional or shomer Shabbos.
{Haaretz/Matzav.com Israel}
I agree with this decision. Messianic Government would see things organised into a four day working week i.e. Monday to Thursday. Productivity is enhanced under the right conditions. All work and no play makes Shmuely a dull boy. All play and no work also makes Shmuely a lazy, non-contributing hedonist. All rest and no work or play makes Shmuely either a hibernating bear or an inveterate dope smoker. A healthy work, rest, play balance can be negotiated for all.