The Knesset Interior Affairs Committee will appeal to the
High Court to request additional time in which to reach
agreement on a standard yearly date on which to end Daylight
Savings Time.
Recently, individuals appealed to the High Court regarding
the Daylight Saving Time dates which are set very late this
year and for the next three years. In each case, the standard
time ("winter clock") is due to take effect on the day after
the end of Succos.
In the wake of this appeal, the Knesset Interior Affairs
Committee met to discuss the dates. Chairman of the
committee, MK David Azoulai (Shas) appointed a committee of
Knesset members to reach an understanding regarding the
dates. Azoulai himself is a member of the committee as are MK
Rabbi Yaakov Litzman and MK Avraham Poraz.
The committee seems to be poised to agree to end Daylight
Savings Time on a permanent basis on September 30. However,
in years in which Yom Kippur falls after this date, Daylight
Savings Time will end on erev Yom Kippur.
The main argument given is that Standard Time makes it easier
to fast on Yom Kippur. The change would already go into
effect this autumn.
The current schedule for DST for 2000 and 2001 is: DST ends
on October 2, 2000; DST begins on April 6, 2001; DST ends on
October 10, 2001.
