A dramatic development occurred in the southern city of Dimona when religious council members resigned from the municipal coalition in protest over public Chillul Shabbos in the traditionally observant city, Kikar H’Shabbat reported.

The city, known for decades as a stronghold of respect for religion and kedushas haShabbos, now faces a significant challenge from groups seeking to undermine religious foundations and publicly desecrate the holy day.

The current storm reached a boiling point over the past month, following what local Rabbanim and representatives called “a severe and dangerous breach.”

Dimona’s mayor, Benny Biton, gave the green light for a Super‑Pharm branch to open on Shabbos, under the “guise” of an on‑call pharmacy — a move trampling the kedushah of the day and the delicate status quo preserved in the city for many years.

After all attempts at dialogue failed, four representatives of the Chareidi and religious parties on the council made a firm decision that they will not be partners to Chillul Shabbos and informed the mayor of their immediate resignation from the coalition.

In recent days, additional plans by liberal organizations for further Chillul Shabbos have been exposed. Residents told Kikar that the plans include operating amusement parks and “food‑truck” complexes on Shabbos. Religious residents are worried, claiming this is part of the Dimona lake project aimed at attracting visitors to the city and turning Dimona’s streets into a busy secular entertainment center on Shabbos.

In the wake of the battle against the erosion of the religious status quo, UTJ MK Uri Maklev paid a special solidarity visit to Dimona on Tuesday, where he held a working meeting with Degel HaTorah representative Avner Musai and members of the Ner list in the city council.

“The local representatives, led by Rabbi Musai, are making a Kiddush Hashem with their steadfastness,” Maklev said. “Dimona is a city of mesorah, a city that respects religion. Attempts to import foreign cultures and harm the kedusha of Shabbos are an attack on every Jew seeking peace and kedusha on the seventh day.”

As a sign of his protest, Maklev deliberately avoided meeting with the mayor during his visit. Although it is customary for MKs to meet with the mayor, Maklev made it clear that as long as Shabbos is being harmed and the walls of kedushah are being breached, he will not meet with Biton.

Maklev also visited the site of an Iranian missile impact in the city during the war that caused significant damage. Maklev examined the damage and was provided an update on the assistance provided to residents who were forced to evacuate their homes.

At the end of his visit, Maklev promised that his party will support the battle of the local representatives against Chillul Shabbos with every tool at its disposal. “We will not remain silent in the face of attempts to turn Dimona into a city of Chillul Shabbos,” he asserted.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)