Jerusalem cafe agrees to shut on Sabbath

A Jerusalem cafe that had been picketed for weeks by observant Jews said Thursday it had agreed to close on the Sabbath, after protests by ultra-Orthodox Jews and counter-protests by secular Israelis.

Cafe Basimta opened in June near an ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighbourhood. The dispute grew as secular Israelis shouted down ultra-Orthodox protesters, with police separating the groups.

The business is run by Jews for Jesus, a group whose Christian proselytising is widely unwelcome among Jews.

“This is a difficult and painful decision that stems from a deep responsibility to our customers, our faith and Israeli society as a whole,” said Eli Birnbaum, the Israel head of Jews for Jesus.

Birnbaum said the cafe had become “a focus of friction and danger” in recent months.

Most, but not all, businesses in Jewish areas of Jerusalem close on Saturday. Sabbath observance varies across Israel, with much of largely secular Tel Aviv open.

Religious observance has become a political faultline before Israel's October 27 elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government relies on ultra-Orthodox parties and supports an exemption for religious students from Israel's otherwise mandatory military service, while opposition leaders have vowed to end it.