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7 Nissan 5763 - April 9, 2003 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Interior Minister Poraz Says He will not Enforce Chometz Law
by Betzalel Kahn

Following a rebellious decision to cancel Druse inspectors on Shabbos--a decision criticized by the Attorney General--on Sunday, Interior Minister Avraham Poraz (Shinui) declared "enforcing the Chometz Law is not at the top of [his] list of priorities" and he does not intend to honor the law, which requires his ministry to dispatch supervisors on Pesach.

Poraz' announcement drew several sharp responses among government ministers, as tempers flared at a Cabinet meeting on Sunday. Agriculture Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud) raged against his remarks claiming there is no need to raise sensitive issues for public debate in a propagandistic manner. "The security and economic situation is of more critical concern these days," he said.

Meanwhile Mafdal ministers claimed government ministers from Shinui had made it their goal to disregard laws legislated in the Knesset, showing scorn for the rule of law. Attorney General Eliakim Rubinstein joined in their remarks and lodged criticism against Shinui ministers who are trying to eat away at laws legislated according to due process. Neither was the Prime Minister pleased with Poraz' remarks saying, "It must be kept in mind that we are living in a Jewish state."

The Interior Minister himself did not understand why his remarks drew such extreme reactions and said he had not instructed his staff not to enforce the law, but merely said in an interview that the issue was not a major priority to him. Poraz also claims the local authorities are supposed to enforce the Chometz Law.

MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni said on Sunday, "The decision by Minister Avraham Poraz, who received his post from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon with the support of Effi Eitam, not to uphold the law prohibiting the sale of chometz on Pesach; the decision by Industry and Trade Minister Ehud Olmert, who received his post thanks to his ties with Tomi Lapid and Zevulun Orlev, not to uphold the law prohibiting commerce on Shabbos; the decision by the Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Tomi Lapid, Effi Eitam, Ehud Olmert and their colleagues to starve children from large families--bring to the point of collapse the last remaining ties between the State of Israel and the Jewish people and the Torah. Avraham Poraz' gaping mouth and verbal attacks are supported by Ariel Sharon and Effi Eitam against the belief of the Jewish people, and are lowering this Likud-Mafdal-Shinui government to the bottommost level and all the residents of the State of Israel will suffer as a result."

 

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