Cabinet Grounds El Al’s Operations on the Sabbath, Religious Holidays

The Cabinet at the strenuous urging of Premier Menachem Begin, decided today that Israel’s national airline, El Al, is to cease operations on the Sabbath and religious holidays. It empowered on ad hoc ministerial committee to work out a new “timetable and other arrangements” with the management of the State-owned carrier and set a three-month deadline for the Sabbath ban to go into effect.

The ban on Sabbath flights was one of the concessions to religion the Aguda Israel party exacted from Begin as the price for joining his coalition government. Begin, who is himself observant, argued for the ban on religious and moral grounds and insisted that coalition agreements must be honored, Cabinet Secretary Dan Meridor told reporters today.

In effect, Begin rejected the majority report of a government-appointed committee which found that the suspension of service on the Sabbath and holidays would cost the financially shaky airline about $40 million annually.

A MAJOR FIGHT LOOMING

But a major fight loomed between El Al employes and the government over the Cabinet’s decision. Eli Ben-Menachem, a spokesman for the airline’s workers committees, said the employes would consider what action to take but indicated nothing immediate.

However, he branded the Cabinet decision a violation of the law which stipulates that government-owned corporations must operate strictly in accordance with economic considerations. Ben-Menachem said the employes would oppose the decision and that the workers committees of the country’s 43 largest enterprises would support them, hinting at the possibility of a general strike that could paralyze the nation.

The El Al management, which is appointed by the Cabinet, had no immediate reaction. A company spokesman said the managing board was waiting for further details from Transport Minister Haim Corfu.

NO TALK OF LAY-OFFS

Meridor told reporters that the ministers acknowledged that the Sabbath ban would mean a reduction of El Al activities but said there was no talk of lay-offs. He said El Al’s figures as to the possible losses were treated with skepticism by some ministers who charged that El Al workers only wanted to protect the overtime pay they earn working on the Sabbath and holidays.

Two Knesset members, Dan Tichon and Dror Seigerman of Likud’s Liberal wing, said they would vote against the government’s decision if the matter came to the Knesset. But the government apparently feels it could push the measure through with the support of religious members of the opposition factions. The Labor Party and Mapam have called urgent meetings on the matter.

Meanwhile, the Gur Rebbe, Simcha Bunim Alter, a member of the Aguda Israel’s Council of Sages, said he would propose a boycott of El Al by Aguda constituents because the Cabinet had failed to order an immediate cessation of Sabbath flights. He said he would not accept a three-month delay because the government had promised the Sabbath ban would be in effect by Passover.

But Aguda MK Menachem Porush expressed satisfaction with the decision and praised Begin as “a man who kept his promises.” He called on religious workers not to support any strike calls “for monetary gain against Sabbath observance.”