An Israeli court censured the country’s labor minister for what it termed his “cynical” enforcement of a law barring work on the Sabbath. The judge said Eliyahu Yishai, a member of the fervently Orthodox Shas Party, was abusing his power by selectively enforcing laws that suited his religious outlook. The judge noted that while ministry officials were actively seeking to prevent businesses from operating on the Sabbath, little or no action was being taken to enforce other laws intended to protect the well-being of workers. Yishai said he would appeal the ruling.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.