Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., November 16, 2009 Cheshvan 29, 5770 | | Israel Time: 09:59 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Jewish World Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Focus U.S.A. Strenger than Fiction Business Travel Magazine Week's End Anglo File Books
Ultra-Orthodox protestors gathering outside the Jerusalem offices of Intel on Saturday.
 (Tess Scheflan)
Share |
Last update - 18:32 14/11/2009
Jerusalem Haredim protest Shabbat opening of Intel plant
By Nir Hasson, Haaretz Correspondent, and News Agencies
Tags: Israel news 

Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox demonstrators on Saturday gathered outside the Jerusalem compound of computer chip manufacturer Intel to protest the company's opening on Saturdays.

Jerusalem police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby said more than 1,500 demonstrators were chanting near the Intel offices in Jerusalem, which are located in the city's Har Hotzvim industrial area.

Dozens of protesters attacked Jerusalem's deputy mayor Yitzhak Pindrus (United Torah Judaism), claiming that he has not done enough to prevent Intel from opening its plant and employing workers there on Saturdays, which they claim is a violation of the Sabbath.
Advertisement

The demonstrators dressed in traditional black hats and long coats,
shouted Shabbes! Shabbes! - the Yiddish word for the Sabbath - while banging against one of the door's of Intel's Jerusalem office.

Some protesters were hurt after security personnel sprayed pepper spray in their faces. Other demonstrators hurled stones at and pushed journalists who were present at the scene.

Negotiations to reach a compromise between the ultra-Orthodox and Intel failed over the weekend, after the company rejected a demand to employ only non-Jewish workers on Saturdays.

The company said it would consider stopping production in Israel if protests continued. "If there are continued protests or delays in manufacturing at the Jerusalem plant, the company will be forced to close it and may also decide to leave Israel in the end," Maxine Fassberg, general manager of Intel Israel, told the ultra-Orthodox negotiators.

Religious Jews are forbidden to work on the Jewish Sabbath, and in recent months the ultra-Orthodox have become increasingly militant in enforcing the Saturday work ban.

Ultra-Orthodox protesters have previously rallied against the opening of public parking lots in Jerusalem on Saturdays. Those protests, which have continued on a near-weekly basis for months, often turn violent and end with clashes between police and protesters. Dozens of protester have been arrested.

Related articles:
  • Ultra-Orthodox blame their own for parking lot opening on Sabbath
  • Ultra-Orthodox protester dragged under car in Jerusalem
  • Bar Refaeli highway billboard roils rabbis
    • PROMOTION: Mamilla Hotel
    Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Bibi, be a statesman
    Netanyahu knows exactly what he must do for peace with Syria, Palestinians.
    Unilateral Palestine
    Netanyahu says there is no substitute for talks, appeals to PA to negotiate at once.
      1.   Great 12:12  |  Axel 14/11/09
      2.   Ultra-Orthodox Communities.... 12:30  |  Secular Israeli Jew 14/11/09
      3.   Intel should close the Plant 12:40  |  Chris Linthwaite 14/11/09
      4.   #1 12:46  |  Phillip 14/11/09
      5.   Axel and Chris - Haredi community 12:58  |  Oleg 14/11/09
      6.   Ultra-Orthodox demonstrators protest Saturday opening of Intel pl 13:15  |  Gerald Zang 14/11/09
      7.   Intel 13:20  |  Yakov 14/11/09
      8.   #.1. axel. 13:31  |  Stephen. 14/11/09
      9.   Welcome to Jerusalem, Iran 14:05  |  MIKE 14/11/09
      10.   We can Intel 14:13  |  maoriboy 14/11/09
      11.   Ultra-orthodox plus current government policy ruining Jerusalem 14:54  |  Esther 14/11/09
      12.   Why should ultra-orthodox care about jobs? 15:03  |  W 14/11/09
      13.   The Truly Pious 15:23  |  lro 14/11/09
      14.   To Oleg: Excellent point concerning the skill... 15:31  |  HPL 14/11/09
      15.   Who was there first? 15:32  |  Jeremy 14/11/09
      16.   Maxine Fassberg - please leave us! 15:46  |  Moshe 14/11/09
      17.   Ultra -Orthodox and Intel 15:53  |  DT 14/11/09
      18.   # 5 oleg 16:26  |  Axel 14/11/09
      19.   please respect the haredis 16:49  |  christian 14/11/09
      20.   1 day off per week is a jewish patent 16:51  |  gil 14/11/09
      21.   It the God Theory is right 17:08  |  Mark Lincoln 14/11/09
      22.   Mayor must resign ! 17:08  |  rafiq (hiloni) 14/11/09
      23.   Sadly to see israel has its Mullahs! 17:13  |  Tony Silver 14/11/09
      24.   Intel - your choice! 18:00  |  Meir M 14/11/09
      25.   Mike, in the States there are laws to protect Sabbath Observers! 18:03  |  Zev Davis 14/11/09
      26.   Relocate to Ireland 18:16  |  Ari Loewenstein 14/11/09
      27.   Ludicrous or just Nuts 18:31  |  Jack 14/11/09
      28.   Mixed Feeling on this Subject 18:34  |  John Q. Public 14/11/09
      29.   Jerusalemstan Anyone? 18:38  |  John Q. Public 14/11/09
      30.   # 18 zev you overlook a little detail 18:40  |  Axel 14/11/09
      31.   Zev -18 18:47  |  MIKE 14/11/09
      32.   Intel should respect the local people and their sensibilities 18:50  |  James Meeker 14/11/09
      33.   If Jerusalem Cannot Keep the Shabbat, Who Can? 18:54  |  Dave 14/11/09
      34.   we should all demonstrate 19:11  |  Miche Norman Hod Has 14/11/09
      35.   # 19 james 19:21  |  Axel 14/11/09
      36.   Keep Intel, get rid of the Haredim 19:26  |  Mark Jeffery Koch 14/11/09
      37.   the sabbath was mae for man 19:39  |  peter 14/11/09
      38.   You don`t have to live in Iran 19:49  |  Mark Lincoln 14/11/09
      39.   Religious Jews are forbidden to work 19:58  |  Sally 14/11/09
      40.   idiots at the helm 19:59  |  michael rose 14/11/09
      41.   Dave, Jews can keep the Shabbat, not states 20:01  |  Shelley 14/11/09
      42.   This time, they are right 20:04  |  Alexis 14/11/09
      43.   Haredi should stay home and mind their own bussiness 20:29  |  Jonathan 14/11/09
      44.   the seventh day 20:34  |  M iche Norman 14/11/09
      45.   Intel 20:51  |  azbob 14/11/09
      46.   What you sow is what you reap 20:54  |  Basil 14/11/09
      47.   Intel....bullying again 20:57  |  vernonmarriott 14/11/09
      48.   Intel should leave Israel and return work to USA 20:57  |  American Citizen 14/11/09
      49.   Meir, I sent your plea to Intel along with the others... 21:09  |  BBSNews 14/11/09
      50.   Meir, I sent your plea to Intel along with the others... 21:09  |  BBSNews 14/11/09
      51.   Hey Dave - Jerusalem does not keep the sabbath 21:11  |  MIKE 14/11/09
      52.   Boycott Intel 21:27  |  Brent 14/11/09
      53.   Re: #15 (Axel) 21:51  |  FaustianSlip 14/11/09
      54.   #8 Stephen 21:51  |  Freddy 14/11/09
      55.   Chip lines can`t be shut down 22:21  |  Steve G 14/11/09
      56.   ALL Jews are forbidden to work on the Sabbath 22:39  |  Yaakov Ish Tam 14/11/09
      57.   Funny you should mention it . . . 23:09  |  Zev Davis 14/11/09
      58.   To Mike in NYC 00:01  |  Dean 15/11/09
      59.   Intel should respect the laws of the land 01:47  |  Boruch 15/11/09
      60.   Judaism hijacked by Haredim 02:08  |  John 15/11/09
      61.   When will the majority denounce these fanatics 02:11  |  allang 15/11/09
      62.   To American Citizen #22 02:50  |  Yossi 15/11/09
      63.   Steve G. about that boasting... 03:06  |  BBSNews 15/11/09
      64.   20 over 70 03:56  |  David 15/11/09
      65.   Invisible Man in the Sky 04:06  |  MIKE 15/11/09
      66.   MIKE No. 26 05:00  |  David 15/11/09
      67.   Those who protest don`t care about the country`s economy anyway 08:19  |  Naomi 15/11/09
      68.   Haredim are just bored on Shabbes, 08:38  |  Herzlich 15/11/09
      69.   To Dave, from Chiloni 08:44  |  Steven 15/11/09
      70.   Intel: Almost non-Charidim Workers 11:17  |  Nechama 15/11/09
      71.   #19. Jim these locals don`t work and have no connection to this.. 11:35  |  Reb L. Yell at Intel 15/11/09
      72.   Intel should be more `informed` 11:46  |  Petra 15/11/09
      73.   Haredim 13:04  |  Ralph 15/11/09
      74.   The Haredi Community 13:12  |  Noami 15/11/09
      75.   shabbat 13:35  |  dan 15/11/09
      76.   GOOD FOR INDIA !!! 14:18  |  Indian 15/11/09
      77.   Axel 14:44  |  Simon_Of_Sydney 15/11/09
      78.   Arrest them all 15:04  |  a.Alba 15/11/09
      79.   #78 16:42  |  R 15/11/09
      80.   #52 17:04  |  a.Alba 15/11/09
      81.   how about boycotting haredims for a change? 20:29  |  Jojo 15/11/09
      82.   Brent 04:09  |  j 16/11/09
      83.   Too much time on their hands,too little to do 08:47  |  PETER SM 16/11/09
      84.   Send Intel to East Asia 09:23  |  East Asian 16/11/09
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
    Date Local Jewish Singles
    Ready to meet your match? Join Jdate today!
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    More Headlines
    09:25 Ahmadinejad: Nuclear right not up for discussion
    08:42 Netanyahu seeks to foil Palestinian declaration of statehood, again
    03:32 Would Israel accept a state-and-a-half solution?
    08:28 'Israel should annex settlements if PA declares independence'
    02:59 Israel's relationship with American Jews has changed
    05:01 Another Jewish town adds 'Zionist loyalty' to bylaws
    04:36 Jaffa residents ired over lack of Arab street names
    22:25 TV ROUND-UP: Netanyahu: No substitute for peace talks; Arnold Schwarzenegger in Israel
    05:36 Late writer Amos Kenan resurfaces as murder suspect
    09:14 Protesters: IDF used .22-caliber ammo at West Bank fence
    06:25 Survey: Only 10% of Ethiopian Israelis marry out
    22:28 Bill Clinton to Israel: Give Obama a chance
    05:23 Knesset likely to okay new biometric ID database
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |
    | Advert: Recommended Restaurants | Makom: Engaging on Israel
    | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved