Israel issues 2,000 permits to allow Jewish employees to work for the Eurovision Song Contest on Shabbat

The country’s Labour Ministry p draft of exemption, which will allow Jewish employees to work on Shabbat, says that companies supplying services to the contest can operate provided it is crucial.

Employees will also receive time off in lieu and additional pay of up to double their usual day rate, Haaretz reported.

The question of work on Shabbat is a significant political issue in Israel. The Eurovision work permits reportedly led the religious United Torah Judaism party to pulled out of coalition talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scheduled for Monday in protest at the ministry’s decision.

The Jerusalem Post quoted a spokesman for UTJ co-leader Moshe Gafni as saying: “It cannot be that the government authorised work on the holy Shabbat when they’re sitting with us for coalition negotiations.”

But other sources within the party told Haaretz that a planned meeting with the prime minster had been cancelled “because party members needed additional time to prepare”.