Tel Aviv - Jaffa Municipality in response to Supreme Court: "We will continue to be a free city"

Tel Aviv Municipality announced that it will continue to try and find a way to keep businesses open on Shabbos. Notice provided by the municipality stated that "Tel Aviv - Jaffa will be a free city. We will study the ruling and found a solution to the balance between rest on Shabbos and freedom the city allows as we did till today."

Even grocery chain AM-FM subject of the petition, has announced that it is studying the ruling and considering its next steps.

The Supreme Court ruled today (Tuesday) that the Municipality of Tel - Aviv, headed by Mayor Ron Huldai to enforce the law to close businesses on Shabbos.

The decision was appealed with the Supreme retail business selling food in Tel - Aviv, wishing to cancel the judgment of the administrative court, not to order the closure of businesses open on Shabbos.

"The current conduct, the municipality allows the practice of continued breach of this law. Moreover, there is concern that the municipality finds it convenient not to enforce it - in light of the economic profits from imposing fines," the court ruled. "The city interprets the duty to enforce a bylaw that describe it but utterly empty, and dare to call the thing called law enforcement."

Until now, the city would impose fines every week of NIS 660 to shopkeepers illegally open on Shabbos. Primary question that was decided in the appeal was: Is there a charge the city to run other enforcement measures authorized to operate them, which so far is avoided from being enforced.

Supreme Court overturned the ruling of the Administrative Court and said the issue facing the municipality, in order to start its discretion and decide on how to activate the powers granted to enforce the bylaw.

"It is hoped that city leaders are wise enough to find a solution that would honor law enforcement and Shabbos, and will be to the decent satisfaction of residents and advocates who rest on Shabbos in Tel - Aviv," judge Rubinstein wrote in his decision.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!