Leftists in the Jerusalem Municipality have sharply attacked
Karta, a municipal company, for its refusal to open their
parking lot on Shabbos and holidays.
The Karta parking lot is located below the walls of the Old
City near Jaffa Gate. The lot has space for 5000 vehicles.
Recently, Yossi Telgan, member of the Jerusalem City Council,
demanded that the parking lot be open on Shabbos. He sent
letters on the issue to the managing director of Karta, Reb
Ephraim Holtzberg, who refused, claiming that the company is
not prepared to open the lot on Shabbos. Karta is a private
company that develops land in Jerusalem, and especially
around the Old City. It is owned by the city of Jerusalem.
Recently, the intensive attack was joined by other Leftist
members of the City Council, among them Arnon Yekutieli and
Roni Aloni. The two sent letters to Housing Minister Yitzchak
Levi, demanding that he exert his authority in order to force
Karta to open the parking lot on Shabbos. Aloni demands that
Minister Levi instruct the company's managing director to
open the parking lot to vehicles on Shabbos without payment,
claiming, "Since many tourists come to the area on Shabbos,
the problem of Shabbos desecration doesn't come into play
here." Yekutieli even demanded that Minister Levi dismiss
Holtzberg, Karta's managing director, due to his supposed
"shortcomings" in managing the company.
Deputy Mayor Rabbi Uri Maklev said in response that the
opening of the parking lot on Shabbos is inconceivable, even
for free. "There are no municipal or government institutions
or government parking lots which are open on Shabbos. If
there is need for a parking lot for Shabbos desecraters,
there are free parking lots which are open near the Old
City."
Rabbi Maklev noted that the UTJ faction staunchly supports
the measures taken by Karta. "We will not permit a breach in
the walls of Shabbos in the city. Even if there is a lack of
parking space, we will not allow a municipal company to
violate Shabbos," he said.
